Written questions by Johnson.

What estimate he has made of the number of prison officers subject to dismissal following recent changes to Skilled Worker visa salary thresholds; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those dismissals on prison operations.

We are clear that net migration as a whole must come down after quadrupling in recent years as we replace Britain’s failed immigration system with one that is controlled, selective and fair.Assessments of the number of individuals subject to dismissal following the Immigration Rule changes are not held, as sponsorship decisions depend on individual circumstances at the time of application. Sponsorship is not the sole visa route, and while individuals may be ineligible, this does not necessarily result in dismissal, as they may secure alternative right-to-work arrangements.We will of course provide support to those who affected by these changes. Under current arrangements, prison officers already sponsored via the Skilled Worker route will be able to remain in post and extensions will be considered in line with policy. We are exploring options to support staffing, including renewed efforts to prioritise domestic recruitment.Working in prison is an extraordinary job and we are always looking for people who want to help keep the public safe to join.The Department carefully monitors resourcing levels to ensure that we are able to manage current staffing levels and make accurate predications around future requirements. We have recruitment activity ongoing for all sites with a current or future recruitment need.

What the value is of Prison Education Service Core Education contracts between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2026.

The value of the Prisoner Education Service Core Education contracts between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2026 is £51 million. This figure excludes Lot 10 (West Midlands prisons), where existing contracts under the Prison Education Framework have been extended while a re-procurement process is ongoing.

With reference to her oral contribution during the Second Reading of the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Bill, Official Report, column 997, what recent progress his Department has made on the review of the data that his Department holds on disparities in the justice system; when he plans to complete the review; and whether he plans to take further steps to assess (a) the underlying causes and (b) effectiveness of policy on disparities in the justice system.

The previous Lord Chancellor commissioned a review of the latest data on sentencing disparities and its causes. I will provide more information on this in due course.

How many criminal behaviour orders have been issued to offenders in (a) under 18, (b) 18-24, (c) 25-34, (d) 35-44, (e) 45-54 and (f) 55+ age groups in each of the last five years.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

How many criminal behaviour orders have been issued to (a) male and (b) female offenders in each of the last five years.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

How many breaches of Criminal Behaviour Orders have been recorded in each of the last five years, by (a) age group, (b) gender and (c) ethnicity of the offender.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

What the value is of the Prison Education Service Core Education contracts between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026.

The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:Financial Year DPS Budget Notes 2021-22£22.3mThis is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.2022-23£14.1mThese figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.2023-24£13.9m2024-25£12.7m2025-26£12.0mThis excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.

How many criminal behaviour orders have been issued to (a) White British, (b) Asian, (c) Black, (d) Chinese, (e) Arab and (f) other ethnic group offenders in each of the last five years.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

What the value is of the Prison Education Service Careers Information, Advice and Guidance contracts in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:Financial Year DPS Budget Notes 2021-22£22.3mThis is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.2022-23£14.1mThese figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.2023-24£13.9m2024-25£12.7m2025-26£12.0mThis excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.

What the budget is for the prison education dynamic purchasing system in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:Financial Year DPS Budget Notes 2021-22£22.3mThis is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.2022-23£14.1mThese figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.2023-24£13.9m2024-25£12.7m2025-26£12.0mThis excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.

How many criminal behaviour orders have been issued in each local justice area in each of the last five years.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

What proportion of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued in each of the last five years were subsequently breached; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these Orders in reducing reoffending.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in variations in the use of criminal behaviour orders across police force areas.

The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

What the value was of the Prison Education Service Core Education contracts between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.

The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:Financial Year DPS Budget Notes 2021-22£22.3mThis is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.2022-23£14.1mThese figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.2023-24£13.9m2024-25£12.7m2025-26£12.0mThis excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.

What the budget was for the prison education dynamic purchasing system in each of the last five financial years.

The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:Financial Year DPS Budget Notes 2021-22£22.3mThis is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.2022-23£14.1mThese figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.2023-24£13.9m2024-25£12.7m2025-26£12.0mThis excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.

How many people serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence have died while housed in approved premises in each of the last 10 years.

Deaths in Approved Premises are rare, accounting for less than 1% of deaths of offenders in the community during 2023/24, and the number of deaths annually has been decreasing. Some of the deaths, while resident in Approved Premises, occurred away from the premises.Five individuals serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence died whilst housed in Approved Premises between 2019/20 and 2023/24. The number of deaths can be broken down as follows:2020/21 - 32022/23 - 2The figure is 0 for all other years since 2019/20.As per previously published data to date, there have been no deaths of IPP-sentenced individuals under this Government.Data prior to April 2019 would require a manual matching exercise and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

How many Extended Sentence for Public Protection sentences were given in each year between 2005 and 2012.

An Extended Sentence for Public Protection (EPP) was a determinate sentence in use from 2005 until its abolition in 2012.The sentence was handed down to individuals convicted of specified offences where Section 227 or Section 228 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 applied, and where the courts believed there was a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public on commission of further specified offences.The table below sets out how many EPP sentences were given in each year between 2005 and 2012.2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 1,4931,2991,131671434453648332

What steps she is taking to the reduce the time taken for domestic abuse cases to reach family courts in (a) the North West and (b) Liverpool.

It is important that the Family Court works for children and families. That is why the Government is committed to ensuring there are adequate protections in place for users and that we improve the timeliness of cases.I am aware that, due to the building’s architecture, layout and shared use there are issues in arranging separate entrances at Liverpool Family Court. To mitigate this, it is possible to arrange staggered arrival times, secure waiting rooms and separate exits. Special measures can be requested by contacting the court as soon as possible, ideally 5 days before the hearing. Liverpool Family Court's contact details can be found at: Liverpool Civil and Family Court - Find a Court or Tribunal - GOV.UK.We recognise the significant impact that delay can have on children and families. We are committed to tackling backlog of cases we inherited from the previous Government and the latest published data shows progress is being made. When comparing October to December 2024 to the same period in 2023, under the previous Government, the average duration of private law cases has fallen from 45 to 42 weeks and care proceedings over the same period have fallen from 42 weeks to 36. We know that there is more to do and the Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26 and these are focused on increasing the proportion of public law cases concluded within the statutory 26-week timeframe and closing the longest running cases in both private and public law. To support this, Cheshire and Merseyside is a designated Trailblazer area, developing and testing targeted solutions to address the biggest local drivers of delays.Our new Pathfinder courts are improving the experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private law proceedings, and particularly those who may need additional support such as domestic abuse survivors. The pilot courts work closely with local domestic abuse agencies, including Independent Domestic Violence Advisers. The Pathfinder pilot started in February 2022 in Dorset and North Wales. It was expanded to Southeast Wales and Birmingham in 2024 and Mid and West Wales on 3 March 2025. Pathfinder will be rolled out to West Yorkshire on 3 June. Areas delivering the Pathfinder model for private family law are making significant progress in addressing delay, with the initial two pilot sites showing an 11-week reduction in average case duration and a 50% reduction in outstanding caseloads between February 2022 and November 2024.Alongside improving how cases move through the system we need to properly support those involved. Victims of domestic abuse must receive emotional and practical support to recover and rebuild their lives. The Ministry of Justice provide Police and Crime Commissioners with annual grant funding to commission local support services. This includes ring-fenced funding for sexual violence and domestic abuse community-based services and Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors. Alongside this the Home Office runs the Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid, which offers financial support to victims in specific circumstances.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the number of specialist domestic abuse services available to assist victims during the court process in Liverpool.

It is important that the Family Court works for children and families. That is why the Government is committed to ensuring there are adequate protections in place for users and that we improve the timeliness of cases.I am aware that, due to the building’s architecture, layout and shared use there are issues in arranging separate entrances at Liverpool Family Court. To mitigate this, it is possible to arrange staggered arrival times, secure waiting rooms and separate exits. Special measures can be requested by contacting the court as soon as possible, ideally 5 days before the hearing. Liverpool Family Court's contact details can be found at: Liverpool Civil and Family Court - Find a Court or Tribunal - GOV.UK.We recognise the significant impact that delay can have on children and families. We are committed to tackling backlog of cases we inherited from the previous Government and the latest published data shows progress is being made. When comparing October to December 2024 to the same period in 2023, under the previous Government, the average duration of private law cases has fallen from 45 to 42 weeks and care proceedings over the same period have fallen from 42 weeks to 36. We know that there is more to do and the Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26 and these are focused on increasing the proportion of public law cases concluded within the statutory 26-week timeframe and closing the longest running cases in both private and public law. To support this, Cheshire and Merseyside is a designated Trailblazer area, developing and testing targeted solutions to address the biggest local drivers of delays.Our new Pathfinder courts are improving the experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private law proceedings, and particularly those who may need additional support such as domestic abuse survivors. The pilot courts work closely with local domestic abuse agencies, including Independent Domestic Violence Advisers. The Pathfinder pilot started in February 2022 in Dorset and North Wales. It was expanded to Southeast Wales and Birmingham in 2024 and Mid and West Wales on 3 March 2025. Pathfinder will be rolled out to West Yorkshire on 3 June. Areas delivering the Pathfinder model for private family law are making significant progress in addressing delay, with the initial two pilot sites showing an 11-week reduction in average case duration and a 50% reduction in outstanding caseloads between February 2022 and November 2024.Alongside improving how cases move through the system we need to properly support those involved. Victims of domestic abuse must receive emotional and practical support to recover and rebuild their lives. The Ministry of Justice provide Police and Crime Commissioners with annual grant funding to commission local support services. This includes ring-fenced funding for sexual violence and domestic abuse community-based services and Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors. Alongside this the Home Office runs the Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid, which offers financial support to victims in specific circumstances.

If she will hold discussions with HM Courts and Tribunals Service on the potential merits of ensuring that domestic abuse victims attending Liverpool Family Court can use a different entrance to the building to that of their alleged perpetrator.

It is important that the Family Court works for children and families. That is why the Government is committed to ensuring there are adequate protections in place for users and that we improve the timeliness of cases.I am aware that, due to the building’s architecture, layout and shared use there are issues in arranging separate entrances at Liverpool Family Court. To mitigate this, it is possible to arrange staggered arrival times, secure waiting rooms and separate exits. Special measures can be requested by contacting the court as soon as possible, ideally 5 days before the hearing. Liverpool Family Court's contact details can be found at: Liverpool Civil and Family Court - Find a Court or Tribunal - GOV.UK.We recognise the significant impact that delay can have on children and families. We are committed to tackling backlog of cases we inherited from the previous Government and the latest published data shows progress is being made. When comparing October to December 2024 to the same period in 2023, under the previous Government, the average duration of private law cases has fallen from 45 to 42 weeks and care proceedings over the same period have fallen from 42 weeks to 36. We know that there is more to do and the Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26 and these are focused on increasing the proportion of public law cases concluded within the statutory 26-week timeframe and closing the longest running cases in both private and public law. To support this, Cheshire and Merseyside is a designated Trailblazer area, developing and testing targeted solutions to address the biggest local drivers of delays.Our new Pathfinder courts are improving the experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private law proceedings, and particularly those who may need additional support such as domestic abuse survivors. The pilot courts work closely with local domestic abuse agencies, including Independent Domestic Violence Advisers. The Pathfinder pilot started in February 2022 in Dorset and North Wales. It was expanded to Southeast Wales and Birmingham in 2024 and Mid and West Wales on 3 March 2025. Pathfinder will be rolled out to West Yorkshire on 3 June. Areas delivering the Pathfinder model for private family law are making significant progress in addressing delay, with the initial two pilot sites showing an 11-week reduction in average case duration and a 50% reduction in outstanding caseloads between February 2022 and November 2024.Alongside improving how cases move through the system we need to properly support those involved. Victims of domestic abuse must receive emotional and practical support to recover and rebuild their lives. The Ministry of Justice provide Police and Crime Commissioners with annual grant funding to commission local support services. This includes ring-fenced funding for sexual violence and domestic abuse community-based services and Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors. Alongside this the Home Office runs the Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid, which offers financial support to victims in specific circumstances.