Written questions by Mullan.

On what date she signed the concordat on court sitting days.

The former Lord Chancellor reached an agreement with the judiciary on the Concordat in June 2024. The former Lord Chancellor sent the initial Concordat proposal to the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of the Tribunals on 5th June. The Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of the Tribunals responded on 12th June, and the former Lord Chancellor sent a final letter of response, concluding the process, on 28th June 2024.Since then, the current Lord Chancellor increased the allocation by an additional 500 Crown Court sitting days in September, and on 17 December announced further funding for up to an additional 2,000 Crown Court days, bringing the Crown Court allocation to up to 2,500 days beyond that originally agreed through the Concordat. This brings the total to 108,500, the highest level since financial year 2015/16.

How many and what proportion of offenders with convictions related to alcohol use have been subject to an alcohol monitoring tag (a) on release from prison and (b) as part of a community sentence in each year since its introduction.

The number of individuals subject to an alcohol monitoring tag on release from prison and as part of a community sentence can be found here: Electronic Monitoring Statistics Annual Publication, March 2024 - GOV.UK.We are unable to produce data on the proportion of offenders with convictions related to alcohol use have been subject to an alcohol monitoring tag.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging programme.

The effectiveness of the acquisitive crime project is currently subject to robust evaluation and conclusions will be made available following the publication of the upcoming process and impact evaluations. It is not possible to provide any information prior to the impact evaluation being published.

What assessment she has made of the potential barriers to successful prosecution using information from the Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging programme.

The effectiveness of the acquisitive crime project is currently subject to robust evaluation and conclusions will be made available following the publication of the upcoming process and impact evaluations. It is not possible to provide any information prior to the impact evaluation being published.

How many (a) arrests, (b) charges and (c) convictions have been made using data from the Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging programme in each year since its introduction.

Between 12 April 2021 and 15 November 2024, there were 213 charges and 152 convictions using the data from the Acquisitive Crime project.The Department does not hold data on the dates of these charges and convictions or on the number of arrests, this data is held by individual police forces. The objective of this project is not solely to catch and convict individuals for further offences, but to deter them from committing crime and reduce long term reoffending, by ensuring probation officers can continuously monitor offenders’ whereabouts at all times. The first robust evaluation of the effectiveness of this project will be published next year.

Whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on whether it should collect evidence on public opinion on sentencing.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

What the process will be for appointing members to the expert panel to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

Whether (a) victims and (b) the (i) family and (ii) friends of victims of crime will be represented on the expert panel for the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

When the expert panel to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 will be (a) appointed and (b) announced.

The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.

Whether her Department has put in place a policy on (a) disclosure and (b) transparency between the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 and (i) Ministers and (ii) other members of her Department.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.

Whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on (a) when and (b) how evidence should be collected from third parties.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

Whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on how members of the public should be able to participate in the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.

Whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on how hon. Members should be able to participate in the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.

The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.

If she will require the Chair of the Independent Sentencing Review to publish the evidence it receives on that review.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

With reference to her Department's publication entitled Number of working-age individuals with a record on the PNC, published on 28 October 2024, what proportion of these records relate to individuals that (a) are convicted, (b) facing pending prosecutions, (c) been issued cautions, (d) involved in cases where no further action was required (e) been arrested but not charged and (f) are deceased.

The information requested is provided in the table attached. This table includes data on the:Proportion of the records on the Police National Computer (PNC) in each category specified, by offenders of working age.This analysis looks at the proportion of records that fall into the categories a – d. It does not provide the proportion of individuals as each individual offender may have a record in each category. It is not possible to answer parts (e) and (f), as the Ministry of Justice extract of the PNC does not contain the information required. Arrest information (part e) is a matter for the Home Office.

Whether her Department has allocated funding for commissioning primary research to the Independent Sentencing Review.

This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.

With reference to the guidance by her Department entitled Disclosing your criminal record, published on 28 October 2023, on what evidential basis the guidance says that one in four people of working age have a criminal record.

The statistic that approximately one in four people have a criminal record is based on Home Office data on the Police National Computer compared with population data.An updated estimate of the number of individuals of working age (16-64 and 16+) with a nominal record on the Police National Computer was published on 28 October 2024. The data can be found here: Number of working-age individuals with a record on the PNC - GOV.UK.