Written questions by Snell.

What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (i) his Department, (ii) Courts and Tribunals and (iii) the Prison estate is made by a British manufacturer.

All tableware (including plates, bowls, cups and cutlery) used in HM Prisons are made from polypropylene and polycarbonate plastics for safety reasons. They are manufactured in house in our plastics injection moulding workshops. The items form part of the equipment issued to prisoners for their personal use and are washed and reused by the individual after each meal.It is important to note that despite being made of plastic they are multi-use and are washed and reused time and time again. Each of the items are 100% recyclable.The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this Government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.

How many Tribunals were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, by region.

The table below shows the number of Tribunals that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed. Some buildings are also multi-jurisdictional, so may also be included in data provided for different jurisdictions in answer to other parliamentary questions.RegionTribunals closedLondon3Midlands0North East5North West0South East0South West0Wales0There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns. In order to help reduce the risk of building failures, we have announced a boost in court maintenance and capital project funding from £120 million last year, to up to £148.5m for 2025/26. HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

How many Nightingale Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2020 and 1 July 2024, by region.

The table below shows the number of Nightingale Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2020 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The data is limited to Nightingale Courts that have closed and does not include instances of jury trial rooms enabled by small venue hire or rooms enabled via Portacabins.RegionNightingale Courts closedLondon3Midlands5North East5North West9South East4South West3Wales0There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns. HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

How many Youth Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, by region.

The table below shows the number of dedicated Youth Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. Youth Courts are normally sat by magistrates and are routinely located in magistrates’ courts. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed. Some buildings are also multi-jurisdictional, so may also be included in data provided for different jurisdictions in answer to other parliamentary questions.RegionYouth Courts closedLondon1Midlands1North East0North West0South East0South West0Wales0There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

How many County Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, by region.

The table below shows the number of County Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed. Some buildings are also multi-jurisdictional, so may also be included in data provided for other jurisdictions in answer to other parliamentary questions.RegionCounty Courts closedLondon5Midlands20North East12North West15South East16South West4Wales4There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.In order to help reduce the risk of building failures, we have announced a boost in court maintenance and capital project funding from £120 million last year, to up to £148.5m for 2025/26.HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

How many Crown Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region.

The table below shows the number of Crown Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed.RegionCrown Courts closedLondon1Midlands0North East0North West1South East2South West2Wales2There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.HMCTS does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) anti-drone technologies and (b) Radio Frequency Effector technology in prisons.

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the use of drones delivering contraband into prisons.The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 authorises the use of counter-drone technology and enables the police to stop and search anyone suspected of committing drone-related offences.HMPPS uses a variety of countermeasures and intelligence tools to stop drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and weapons. Owing to operational sensitives, we are not able to discuss in detail the tactics used by HMPPS to disrupt drones, as that would aid serious and organised criminals.

How many Magistrates Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region.

The table below shows the number of Magistrates’ Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed.RegionMagistrates’ Courts closedLondon19Midlands30North East19North West22South East32South West22Wales21 There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.HMCTS does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

With reference to the document entitled The number of prison places built and closed (2010-2024), published on 25 October 2024, if she will publish the number of prison places lost as a result of (a) prison closures, (b) dilapidation and (c) other changes to capacity between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2024, broken down by region.

As set out in the quoted document in October 2024, the previous Government only managed to increase prison capacity by c.500 places between May 2010 and April 2024. A regional breakdown of the number of prison places removed during this period has been provided as an Excel document alongside this response. The ‘other’ category in the table includes all other changes to operational capacity such as places temporarily out of use for maintenance.Last year, this Government announced plans to build 14,000 places by 2031 as part of our 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy. We have already started the 700-place expansion at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk earlier this month, and a new houseblock providing nearly 460 places at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire recently received its first prisoners. We are also opening HMP Millsike in the coming weeks, which will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners.

How many Crown Court trials were (a) ineffective and (b) postponed between 1 May 2010 and 30 June 2024, broken down by region.

Crown Court trial effectiveness data including ineffective and vacated trials by region are published routinely as part of the Accredited Official Statistics series Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly. The latest published series covers 2016 to 2024, and the data from 2010-2016 is available from a previous edition (Jan-Mar 2019).This Government is determined to support the judiciary to drive down the ineffective trial rate. Since 2023, trends have been improving in relation to cases which have been prioritised by judges (for example, serious sexual offences) as well as more generally. Whilst the proportion of ineffective trials in the Crown Court has reduced slightly in recent years, in 2024 it was still at 25%.We welcome this progress, but further work is needed to reduce ineffective trials. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Phase 2 of the review will consider the efficiency and timeliness of processes of the criminal courts through charge to conviction/acquittal.

How many Magistrate trials were (a) ineffective and (b) postponed between 1 May 2010 and 30 June 2024, broken down by region.

Magistrates’ courts trial effectiveness data including ineffective and vacated trials by region are published routinely as part of the Accredited Official Statistics series Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly.This Government is determined to support the judiciary to drive down the ineffective trial rate and further work is needed to do this. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Phase 2 of the review will consider the efficiency and timeliness of processes of the criminal courts through charge to conviction/acquittal.