Written questions by Hayes.

How many prison officers have (a) been recruited and (b) left their roles since 2014.

The quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including number of staff in post as well as the number of joiners and leavers, by different grades and structure etc.The number of HMPPS joiners and leavers by grade is publicly available in table 8 of the HMPPS Workforce Statistics publication which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-offender-management-service-workforce-statistics.Once you have chosen your respective quarterly report, navigate to HMPPS Workforce Statistics Bulletin: **** tables, tab 8 will provide you with table 8 information.

What steps she is taking to reduce the backlog of court cases in Lincolnshire.

We have interpreted this question as in reference to the Crown Court outstanding caseload in Lincolnshire. We inherited a record and rising Crown Court backlog from the previous Government and we are committed to tackling it.We are pursuing a number of measures at a national level that will contribute to the reduction of outstanding cases in Lincolnshire.The Crown Court outstanding caseload remains one of the biggest challenges facing the Criminal Justice System. We have already shown we are committed to bearing down on the caseload and bringing waiting times down.This Government has increased the number of Crown Court sitting days to 106,500, more than in six out of the last seven years. We will soon extend magistrates’ court sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months, freeing up 2,000 days in the Crown Court to handle the most serious cases.Judges have been prioritising rape cases that have been waiting for over two years to go to trial. Despite this, there are some cases in the outstanding caseload which are taking far too long to progress through the system. We want to make sure every victim has the swift access to justice they deserve. This is why we have committed to fast-tracking rape cases through the courts, to deliver swift and effective justice to some of the most vulnerable victims in the criminal justice system, and will say more on this in due course.Alongside this, we consistently invest in the recruitment of c.1,000 judges and tribunal members across all jurisdictions annually alongside continuing to use 18 Nightingale courtrooms across eight venues to hear more cases.At Lincoln Crown Court specifically, we have expanded physical capacity of the HMCTS estate by creating a permanent fourth Crown Courtroom based in Lincoln Magistrates Court. As a result, we also plan to sit 903 sitting days this financial year at Lincoln Crown Court, this is an increase from 885 sitting days in the last financial year (FY23/24). An uplift in sitting days has taken place across East Midlands in response to growing Crown Court caseload pressures.

How many and what proportion of those convicted for sexual offences were not given prison sentences in the last five years.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary.This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls within the decade. To do so, we must improve the justice system’s response to these crimes. We must relentlessly target the most prolific and harmful perpetrators; better support victims and survivors; and ensure timely and effective justice.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including sexual offences in the period requested, via the Outcomes by Offence data tool: December 2023, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2023.

How many prisoners released under the early release scheme on (a) 10 September 2024 and (b) 22 October 2024 are registered as residing in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire.

Data on SDS40 releases forms a subset of data intended for future publication.

If she will publish the offences committed by prisoners released under the early release scheme.

SDS40 applies to standard determinate sentences, but certain offences have been excluded from the SDS change. the following offences are excluded: Sex offences irrespective of sentence length; serious violent offences with a sentence of four years or more; specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length (including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation); as well as offences concerning national security. The change will also not apply to sentences subject to release at the discretion of the Parole Board or to offences which currently attract the automatic release from an SDS at the two-thirds point (certain serious sexual and violent offences).

How many people have escaped from Category D prisons in the last 10 years.

An escape that does not involve overcoming a physical security restraint or barrier (such as that provided by a wall or fence, locks, bolts or bars, a secure vehicle, handcuffs or the direct supervision of staff) is classified as an abscond. By definition, absconds are only possible from prisons with open conditions (Category D). Data on absconds are published annually in the HMPPS Annual Digest. The requested information can be found via the following link: Absconds Data. Public protection is our top priority. When a prisoner absconds, police are immediately notified and are responsible for locating the offender. The majority of absconders are quickly recaptured and returned to custody. Those who abscond face serious consequences, including being returned to closed prison conditions, where they may serve up to two additional years on conviction.

How many confiscations of Class A drugs took place in prisons in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last three years.

Data on the number of incidents where Class A drugs were found in prisons in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last three years are provided in the attached table.The availability of drugs in prison is yet another sign of the prisons crisis the new Government inherited. We are bringing the crisis under control and ensuring that a range of physical security countermeasures are used to reduce the conveyance of illicit items into prisons, including X-ray body scanners, airport-style Enhanced Gate Security, X-ray baggage scanners, detection dogs, and drug trace detection equipment.

How many confiscations of mobile phones took place in prisons in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last three years.

The number of incidents where mobile phones were found in prisons in England and Wales, over the past three years: 2021-222022-232023-24England7,7787,59610,351Wales210241318Total7,9887,83710,669 We publish the number of incidents where mobile phones were found in prison in England and Wales in the HMPPS Annual Digest. The latest issue covers the 12 month period to March 2024.It is important to consider, with incidents of mobile phone finds in prisons, that an increase in numbers may be as a result of more effective searching, rather than more items being present in prisons. Data Sources and Quality The figures in the table have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.The figures in the table count the number of incidents where a mobile phone was found, rather than the number of mobile phones found. One incident can include multiple phones found.Secure training centres Rainsbrook and Oakhill report separately as they are contracted establishments and therefore are not included in this dataset.The figures are on a financial year basis, so the figures for 2023-24 are from 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

How many and what proportion of prisoners released under the early release scheme have been electronically tagged.

Data on SDS40 releases forms a subset of data intended for future publication. We do not yet hold centrally collated data on how many prisoners released under SDS40 have been electronically tagged.Electronic Monitoring is only one part of a range of stringent license conditions used to manage offenders in the community and all offenders, including those released under SDS40, continue to be monitored closely by the Probation Service.