Written questions by Wild.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the handling of child custody cases through non-court processes.

The Ministry of Justice continues to develop its understanding of how non-court processes support families to resolve post-separation issues, such as child arrangements.Evidence from the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme suggests that these approaches can help families reach agreement without needing to go to court. Analysis of the first 7,200 cases completed under the scheme shows that 69% of participants reached a whole or partial agreement and did not need to go to court to resolve their issues. Since its launch, the scheme has supported over 49,000 families, and the Government has committed to continue funding it until at least March 2026.The Government believes that helping parents reach agreement outside of court, including through mediation, reduces conflict and benefits children’s wellbeing, and continues to assess these approaches.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of Child Arrangements Orders.

The Department has not made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of child arrangements orders or of the approach to cases where a parent breaches a court order. However, the Government is committed to long-term reform of the family courts, working with our partners across the family justice system to deliver better outcomes for families. This includes making progress on implementing the recommendations from 2020’s Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases, known as the Harm Panel report.Child arrangement orders give clarity to parties on where their child will live and if and when they will spend time with each of the parties. If a person has failed to comply with a Child Arrangements Order, the court has a range of powers it may exercise. This could include referring the parties to a Planning Together for Children programme or recommending they undertake a form of non-court dispute resolution, such as mediation. The court may make a more defined child arrangements order, which could involve a reconsideration of the child’s living or contact arrangements. Depending on the circumstances, the court also has the power to make an enforcement or suspended enforcement order, or to issue a fine or commit an individual to prison for being in contempt of court for breaching the terms of an order.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the the potential benefits of accelerating the expansion of the Pathfinder pilot.

The Pathfinder model is currently operating in six Designated Family Judge areas across England and Wales. Three further court areas - the Black Country and Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire - will start the model on 11 November. Courts in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will start the model in January next year.This Government is delivering a package of reform to ensure that children and victims of domestic abuse continue to be safeguarded and supported in family court proceedings, Pathfinder is central to this. Monitoring metrics are positive and the feedback from operational teams and external stakeholders has identified a range of benefits. A process evaluation and initial financial analysis of the pilot was published in March 2025. Research participants involved in the evaluation reported that the Child Impact Report adopted in the pilots improved child engagement and the model provided better support for victims of domestic abuse. Management information from the two initial pilot court areas showed cases in the model were resolved 11 weeks quicker and the open caseload reduced by 50%.Further expansion of the model will be considered during the allocations process which follows the latest Spending Review, and we are unable to pre-empt the outcome of this.

What his planned timetable is for the expansion of the Pathfinder pilot.

The Pathfinder programme is currently operating in six Designated Family Judge areas across England and Wales. Three further court areas - the Black Country and Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire and in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire - will start the model on 11 November.Courts in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will start the model in January next year.Further expansion of the model will be considered during the allocations process which follows the latest Spending Review, and we are unable to pre-empt the outcome of this.

What estimate he has made of the number of prisoners detained beyond their release date in 2024-25.

Release inaccuracy is yet another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detentions. As the Deputy Prime Minister set out to the House, immediate measures have been introduced to strengthen release checks across prisons – making them the strongest release checks to ever be in place and an independent inquiry will report its recommendations to prevent further inaccuracies.

With reference to his Department's webpage entitled Prisons data, Additional data, how many of the 262 prisoners released in error in 2024-5 were returned to custody.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those releases in error that do occur – including through improved staff training and establishing a new specialist unit. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.We have gripped this chaos – by building more prison places, ending the last Government’s early release scheme, being transparent with the public, immediately making changes to sentences to ease pressure on the system and now, taking landmark reforms through our Sentencing Bill to make sure that prisons never run out of places again.Annual totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via Prison and Probation Performance Statistics - GOV.UK, and provide data up to March 2025.

What steps have been taken at HMP Garth to help prevent drones bringing drugs into the prison.

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the use of drones that deliver contraband into prisons.Owing to operational sensitives, we are not able to discuss the measures used by HMP Garth to disrupt drones, as that would aid serious and organised criminals. However, HMPPS uses a multi-faceted approach to tackle this threat which includes a variety of physical security countermeasures, intelligence led operations and legislation. As part of this work, we conduct drone vulnerability assessments to understand and mitigate risk and we are investing £40 million in new security measures to clamp down on the contraband that fuels violence behind bars, including £10 million on anti-drone measures such as exterior netting and reinforced windows.HMPPS is also working with UK and global partners to understand the tactics used abroad and identify opportunities to strengthen our response to illicit drone activity.

Whether it is his policy that offenders to be deported under Clause 32 in the Sentencing Bill would be required to serve any custodial sentence in their home country.

The Sentencing Bill will amend the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) to allow eligible Foreign National Offenders (FNO) serving determinate sentences to be removed from prison for the purposes of immediate deportation any time after sentencing. FNOs removed under ERS are not subject to further imprisonment after they are removed from the UK but are barred from ever returning to the UK. If they return unlawfully, they will be liable to serve the rest of their sentence from the point they were deported.Those serving life and other indeterminate sentences are not eligible for removal under ERS. Offenders serving a terrorism or terrorism-connected offence are also excluded from removal. ERS can be refused by HMPPS in certain circumstances for example if there is serious evidence an offender is planning a further crime.Prisoner Transfer Agreements, where prisoners continue to serve their sentence in their home countries, will still be used in certain circumstances where we have an agreement in place and there is cooperation with the receiving country. Enhancing our prisoner transfer capability with partner countries remains important to the Ministry of Justice.

If he will outline the (a) type and (b) length of sentences being served by foreign national offenders in prisons in England and Wales.

Details of sentences being served by foreign national offenders are published as part of the Ministry of Justice’s Offender Management Statistics Quarterly. The information requested can be found at Table 1_A_24 in the Annual Prison Population tables at the following link: prison-population-30-June-2025.ods.

How many foreign national offenders are serving life sentences.

Details of sentences being served by foreign national offenders are published as part of the Ministry of Justice’s Offender Management Statistics Quarterly. The information requested can be found at Table 1_A_24 in the Annual Prison Population tables at the following link: prison-population-30-June-2025.ods.

Whether she plans to meet with those harmed by sodium valproate.

This is the responsibility of the Secretary of State at DHSC, whose department is meeting with these stakeholders.

Pursuant to Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42858 on Child Trust Fund, whether her Department has taken recent steps to (a) update and (b) publicise the guidance entitled Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit, published on 9 June 2023.

Although the parent and carer toolkit ‘Making Financial Decisions for young people’ is almost two years old, the information it contains is still current.The Ministry of Justice regularly considers how to publicise the tool kit and raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act.

How many and what proportion of matured Child Trust Funds that are unclaimed belong to people who lack capacity.

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

What information her Department holds on the number of providers that have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

How many applications to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order in cases relating to Child Trust Funds were made in each year since 2019.

It is not possible to provide information on the numbers of applications for a deputyship order in cases relating to Child Trust Funds as Court of Protection data is not broken down by the type of asset held.Locally collected management information relating to Child Trust Funds does not include those cases where a Child Trust Fund may be one of several assets owned by the young person lacking capacity and therefore does not provide an accurate picture of the number of applications made.With effect from 08 April 2025, applications to the Court of Protection will cost £421. Where an application to access a Child Trust Fund is made before the child reaches 18, no fee is payable if the child has savings of less than £4,250 and a monthly income less than £1,420. In addition, where the Child Trust Fund is the sole asset, an exceptional fee waiver can be applied for. When an application is made after a child turns 18, and they have savings or income above these levels, a parent or carer can apply for an exceptional fee waiver at the court’s discretion.The Ministry of Justice has published a toolkit for parents and carers to help them navigate the court process.The Department is exploring plans to facilitate the CoP process for parents and guardians applying for a deputyship, for example by alerting parents in advance of a child's 18th birthday of the need to make an application.

What options she is considering for improving access to matured Child Trust Funds for people who lack capacity.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, the law requires parents or a guardian to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This requirement to have legal authority is vital in ensuring that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected from all forms of abuse including financial abuse. This is not specific to accessing funds held in Child Trust Funds or Junior ISAs but applies more widely to all assets belonging to vulnerable people who lack capacity. This includes in relation to accessing funds held in a Child Trust Fund or a Junior ISA.On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit’ explaining the process by which parents and guardians of disabled children are able to obtain legal authority if no other arrangements are in place. This can be done by making an applying to the Court of Protection for an order authorising access to monies held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on Gov.UK.We understand that concerns remain, and I am speaking with relevant stakeholders to explore what further can be done to help improve access to matured Child Trust Funds in a way that balances facilitating access with safeguards.

What the average cost of applying to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order was in cases relating to Child Trust Funds in the latest period for which data is available.

It is not possible to provide information on the numbers of applications for a deputyship order in cases relating to Child Trust Funds as Court of Protection data is not broken down by the type of asset held.Locally collected management information relating to Child Trust Funds does not include those cases where a Child Trust Fund may be one of several assets owned by the young person lacking capacity and therefore does not provide an accurate picture of the number of applications made.With effect from 08 April 2025, applications to the Court of Protection will cost £421. Where an application to access a Child Trust Fund is made before the child reaches 18, no fee is payable if the child has savings of less than £4,250 and a monthly income less than £1,420. In addition, where the Child Trust Fund is the sole asset, an exceptional fee waiver can be applied for. When an application is made after a child turns 18, and they have savings or income above these levels, a parent or carer can apply for an exceptional fee waiver at the court’s discretion.The Ministry of Justice has published a toolkit for parents and carers to help them navigate the court process.The Department is exploring plans to facilitate the CoP process for parents and guardians applying for a deputyship, for example by alerting parents in advance of a child's 18th birthday of the need to make an application.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending legislation so that driving disqualification periods commence at the end of any custodial sentence imposed.

Courts can impose a driving disqualification for any offence committed after 01 January 1998.Driving bans generally start from the day they are imposed at sentencing. This is because, if the offender’s ban was set to commence at the usual point of release, an offender released earlier (on an electronic tag for example) would be able to drive before the ban came into effect. However, Courts have a statutory duty to take into account the impact of a custodial sentence when imposing a driving ban at sentencing. Judges will therefore extend the disqualification period based on the custodial point of release, for all types of sentences including life sentences.

What steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to (a) support prisoner rehabilitation and (b) reduce trends in the level of homelessness amongst released prisoners.

The Government is committed to improving rehabilitation services for offenders by giving them the tools to move away from crime. We work alongside other government departments investing in a wide range of interventions to directly support a prisoner’s rehabilitation journey.This includes improving prisoners’ access to purposeful activity, such as education; delivering pre-release plans for all those leaving custody; and ensuring that ex-offenders leave prison with a job and the skills needed to lead law abiding lives. We have recently launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with probation services and the Department for Work and Pensions to support offenders in prison and the community.We know that accommodation is key to supporting prisoner rehabilitation. Our CAS3 service provides transitional accommodation for prison leavers who are under probation supervision and at risk of homelessness for up to 12 weeks, to provide a stable base upon release. It is currently available in all probation regions, and we are further expanding provision to support more prison leavers at risk of homelessness each year. We are also working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and other departments on the development of a new cross-government strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure that prison leavers under the Early Release Scheme are supported in securing housing upon release.

Those released under the Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) changes who are at risk of homelessness can be referred to H M Prison & Probation Service’s Community Accommodation Service, Tier 3, which can provide up to 12-weeks’ temporary accommodation.Latest published statistics show that the proven reoffending rate for adults released from prison homeless or rough sleeping was double the proven reoffending rate for those who were in some kind of accommodation upon release (69% vs 34%).During the initial release phase in September and October we worked closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and the Welsh Government to mitigate any impact on local authorities, as well as taking practical steps to minimise the chances that individuals were released homeless. These included ensuring data were shared with the 49 Strategic Housing Specialists based in prisons and with the Probation Service-based Homeless Prevention Teams, to make sure plans were in place for those who needed accommodation support.