Written questions by Roberts.

How many people resident in Wales prior to entering custody, were in prison (a) on remand, (b) sentenced to under 12 months, (c) sentenced to between 12 months and 4 years, (d) sentenced to 4 years and over, in (i) March 2024, (ii) June 2024, (iii) September 2024, and (iv) December 2024.

The requested information has been provided as an Excel file alongside this response. The dataset for December 2024 is a subset of data scheduled to be published as part of the Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK release and cannot be provided in advance of that publication. In addition, the numbers 1 and 2 have been replaced with the symbol ‘≤2’ to avoid any risk of individual identification.Around 99% of prisoners have an origin location - i.e. addresses that are recorded in our central IT system. If no address is given, an offender’s committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. This information is included in the data provided in the tables attached. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 1% of all offenders; these figures are excluded from the tables attached.It is also important to stress that ithe data shown are not necessarily representative of those who identify as English or Welsh. The results are sorted by origin address (home address on reception into custody) and not nationality.

What steps he is taking to reduce noise pollution from Texan training aircraft in the UK.

The Texan T1 aircraft complies fully with relevant international aviation noise standards.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of routinely publishing disaggregated data for Wales.

The Ministry of Justice recognises the value of routinely publishing disaggregated data for Wales. This is important for the effective delivery of justice.The Ministry of Justice already collects, disaggregates and routinely publishes a wealth of data for Wales, including headline data on prison population (for example by age, offence group and ethnicity, and whether on remand or sentenced) and headline safety in custody data (for example deaths, self-harm and assaults on staff). We routinely publish a variety of probation data too, for example numbers of offenders starting community orders, accommodation, and employment activity. In addition, nearly all published courts and tribunals data is available for England and Wales separately.In line with our approach to all our statistical publications, we continue to keep the content under review.

How much and what proportion of defence spending is allocated to Wales.

Ministry of Defence expenditure in financial year 2023-24 totalled £53.9 billion. We do not allocate this spending by nation nor region.

How many low-income households have (a) applied and (b) received vouchers for measures under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme from qualifying rural postcodes.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) offers grants to help property owners transition away from fossil fuels to low carbon heating. However, other schemes such as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, Warm Homes: Local Grant and Energy Company Obligation are more targeted towards low-income households. The Government and Ofgem do not collect income statistics as part of directly administering the BUS, however, socio-economic factors are studied as part of the scheme evaluation, with an interim report due to be published next year.

What plans his Department has to bring forward a consultation on a Renewable Heating Fuel Obligation as required by section 159 of the Energy Act 2023.

As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expects to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation which have fewest options to decarbonise. Renewable liquid heating fuels (RLHF) are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions. Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of RLHFs, like hydrotreated vegetable oil, in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.

If he will take steps to help tackle rural fuel poverty under the Warm Homes Plan.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. The transition to warmer, decarbonised homes, will include support for the most vulnerable to help tackle fuel poverty. We will set out further details on the Warm Homes Plan in due course. We are currently supporting rural homes and homes off the gas grid through targeted energy efficiency schemes including the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Home Upgrade Grant, which are aimed at low income and vulnerable consumers.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including hybrid heat pumps as an available measure under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

The aim of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is to support the transition away from fossil fuel heating to a low carbon alternative. Hybrid heat pumps are not eligible as the department wants to direct the funding available to technologies that offer the greatest carbon savings, rather than those which would continue to involve the burning of fossil fuels for heating. The Government will keep its position on alternative heating technologies under review and make further assessments as supporting evidence develops.

What training is available through the medium of Welsh for probation officers in Wales.

Currently, whilst we do not offer national training for Probation Officers in Welsh we can provide learning materials and effective practice briefings in Welsh upon request.We are dedicated to fostering a workplace environment that encourages and embraces the use of the Welsh language in daily work practices. This commitment includes a staff Welsh language forum, and we will soon be launching a Welsh Language Skills Policy focused on supporting our staff.

What percentage of people subject to supervision by the Probation Service have (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five or more named supervising officers during the course of their order or licence.

The information requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

How many (a) community sentences, (b) deferred sentences, (c) conditional discharges and (d) custodial sentences have been given in (i) Wales and (ii) England in each of the last 20 years.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on sentences given at criminal courts in England and Wales between January 2010 and June 2024 in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics. The attached table provides the requested breakdown of sentences for England (Tab 1) and Wales (Tab 2) for the requested time period 2004 to 2009.

How many people were released on home detention curfew in (a) Wales and (b) England in each of the last 20 years.

We have provided the requested information in the Tables 1 and 2 below.Data on total HDC recalls from 2015 onwards can be found in Table 1. A further breakdown of HDC recalls prior to 2015 could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.Table 1: Recalls from Home Detention Curfew to prisons in England and prisons in Wales, 2015 to 2023YearEnglandWales20155511920165231320175824020181,5759320192,29614220202,04015420211,50311720221,2849220231,30465Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Methodological noteRecall data presented here are calculated on the basis of those who were recalled (and subsequently returned to custody) in this period, how many were on HDC. This is different to the method used in Offender Management Statistics Quarterly which looks at the number released to HDC who were later recalled. Numbers will therefore not be comparable.Source: Prison NOMISTable 2: HDC releases from prisons in England and prisons in Wales, 2004 to 2023YearEnglandWales200418,514781200516,586710200613,157509200711,063365200811,403318200911,144390201011,915335201112,364363201212,33047320139,95846120148,22838620158,23637520168,61342920178,773547201813,6991,070201911,85497820209,88490520218,57581820227,95078120237,213707Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.Source: Prison NOMIS

How many people released on home detention curfew were recalled to prison in (a) Wales and (b) England in each of the last 20 years.

We have provided the requested information in the Tables 1 and 2 below.Data on total HDC recalls from 2015 onwards can be found in Table 1. A further breakdown of HDC recalls prior to 2015 could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.Table 1: Recalls from Home Detention Curfew to prisons in England and prisons in Wales, 2015 to 2023YearEnglandWales20155511920165231320175824020181,5759320192,29614220202,04015420211,50311720221,2849220231,30465Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Methodological noteRecall data presented here are calculated on the basis of those who were recalled (and subsequently returned to custody) in this period, how many were on HDC. This is different to the method used in Offender Management Statistics Quarterly which looks at the number released to HDC who were later recalled. Numbers will therefore not be comparable.Source: Prison NOMISTable 2: HDC releases from prisons in England and prisons in Wales, 2004 to 2023YearEnglandWales200418,514781200516,586710200613,157509200711,063365200811,403318200911,144390201011,915335201112,364363201212,33047320139,95846120148,22838620158,23637520168,61342920178,773547201813,6991,070201911,85497820209,88490520218,57581820227,95078120237,213707Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.Source: Prison NOMIS

How many (a) standard delivery, (b) fast delivery, and (c) oral pre-sentence reports have been produced in (i) Wales and (ii) England in each of the last 10 years.

Pre-sentence reports (PSRs) provide an expert assessment of the nature and causes of the offender's behaviour, the risk the offender poses and to whom, as well as an independent recommendation of the options available to support the independent judiciary in deciding the appropriate sentence. The decision on whether to direct the preparation of a PSR and any adjournment to produce that report is, along with the sentence itself, a matter for the independent judiciary. Since 2014, the following numbers of PSRs have been produced in Wales and England:WalesType2014201520162017201820192020202120222023Wales total10,47010,3859,2978,1347,9157,3576,0976,2215,9436,488Standard Delivery PSR1,230976603425413438433520442585Fast Delivery PSR written4,9425,5934,2574,0043,9032,7962,8823,3063,3393,680Fast Delivery PSR oral4,2983,8164,4373,7053,5994,1232,7822,3952,1622,223 EnglandType2014201520162017201820192020202120222023England total131,462148,893138,999121,508105,31395,64761,98082,43677,29784,880Standard Delivery PSR32,52324,7748,9934,3143,2922,8482,1323,0283,1194,374Fast Delivery PSR written64,07876,93458,72045,41139,41941,83339,97059,21755,03661,979Fast Delivery PSR oral34,86147,18571,28671,78362,60250,96619,87820,19119,14218,527 Excludes breach, deferred sentence and court review reports (for further details please see the guide to offender management statistics, available at: Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK).Between April and June 2020, the number of cases processed at the criminal courts was substantially reduced as a result of the operational restrictions that were put in place on 23 March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the impact of these operational restrictions continued into subsequent periods, the figures in more recent periods have recovered to pre-pandemic levels.The figures for England include a handful of pre-sentence reports prepared by the National Security Division (NSD), which was introduced in 2021 under the Probation Reform Programme and is specifically tasked with the enhanced monitoring of terrorists, serious organised criminals and very high-risk offenders.Data quality: The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.Data source: National Delius case management systemInformation on the numbers of PSRs for England and Wales is published as part of the Ministry of Justice’s official statistics available at: Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a specified financial compensation scheme for (a) nuclear test veterans present during the nuclear testing programme from 1952 to 1967 and (b) their families.

The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to develop a specific compensation scheme for either Nuclear Test Veterans or their families. Those who participated in the nuclear test programme and feel they were negatively impacted are able to apply to the War Pensions Scheme. The War Pensions Scheme is a no-fault scheme which provides compensation for Service personnel who are disabled or die due to injury caused or made worse by service in the UK Armed Forces before 6 April 2005. There are also a range of supplementary pensions and allowances payable, including for dependants. This Government is fully committed to engaging with Nuclear Test Veterans and their families to discuss their concerns. The Minister for Veterans and People has already commissioned a range of work within the Department to examine some of the concerns raised by the Nuclear Test Veteran community, including that of medical records.

What assessment she has made of the equality of the consideration given in the assessment process for (a) Personal Independence Payments and (b) other disability benefits to (i) neurological, (ii) physical and (iii) psychological conditions.

We take our responsibility to ensure all individuals have access to our services without disadvantage, very seriously. We have a range of provisions in place to ensure assessments are accessible to all individuals, including those with brain injury and neurological conditions, in line with the standards under the Equality Act 2010. Health assessments are designed to treat all individuals with health conditions and impairments fairly. The assessment criteria take account of the impact of all impairments on an individual’s ability to carry out a broad range of everyday activities. As part of the functional health assessment process, the feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance for all cases. Health professionals (HPs) may contact GPs, any named specialist medical professionals or the claimant if they need more information to undertake a paper-based review. In the circumstances that a paper-based review is not possible the claimant will be invited to an assessment. Before an invitation to assessment is sent, consideration will be given to claimants who need a specific assessment channel due to their health condition or circumstances. Companions are encouraged to attend and can play an active role during the assessment. This is helpful for claimants with mental, cognitive, or intellectual impairments who may not be able to provide an accurate account of their condition, due to a lack of understanding or unrealistic expectations of their ability. Companions can join the telephony assessment, as they would have for a face-to-face assessment. All assessment suppliers have introduced the capacity for four-way calls for assessments. This means the claimant and the HP can be joined by a companion or advocate as well as an interpreter if required. This gives claimants the opportunity to have the appropriate support during a remote assessment.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the assessment process for (a) Personal Independence Payments and (b) other disability benefits for people with (i) brain injury and (ii) neurological conditions.

We take our responsibility to ensure all individuals have access to our services without disadvantage, very seriously. We have a range of provisions in place to ensure assessments are accessible to all individuals, including those with brain injury and neurological conditions, in line with the standards under the Equality Act 2010. Health assessments are designed to treat all individuals with health conditions and impairments fairly. The assessment criteria take account of the impact of all impairments on an individual’s ability to carry out a broad range of everyday activities. As part of the functional health assessment process, the feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance for all cases. Health professionals (HPs) may contact GPs, any named specialist medical professionals or the claimant if they need more information to undertake a paper-based review. In the circumstances that a paper-based review is not possible the claimant will be invited to an assessment. Before an invitation to assessment is sent, consideration will be given to claimants who need a specific assessment channel due to their health condition or circumstances. Companions are encouraged to attend and can play an active role during the assessment. This is helpful for claimants with mental, cognitive, or intellectual impairments who may not be able to provide an accurate account of their condition, due to a lack of understanding or unrealistic expectations of their ability. Companions can join the telephony assessment, as they would have for a face-to-face assessment. All assessment suppliers have introduced the capacity for four-way calls for assessments. This means the claimant and the HP can be joined by a companion or advocate as well as an interpreter if required. This gives claimants the opportunity to have the appropriate support during a remote assessment.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of ethical standards in business practice at (a) Capita, (b) Serco, (c) G4S and (d) Clearsprings when undertaking outsourced UK Government contracts.

We expect the highest standards of business ethics from all suppliers. The Government will bring forward a new National Procurement Policy Statement under the Procurement Act that will deliver a mission-led procurement regime. It will drive value for money, economic growth and social value.

What recent assessment he has made of the value for money of outsourced contracted services provided by (a) Capita, (b) Serco, (c) G4S and (d) Clearsprings.

The Government will always aim to secure value for money and social value. With the creation of the Office for Value for Money the government will undertake value for money studies in specific high-risk areas of cross-departmental spending, and scrutinise investment proposals to ensure they offer value for money.

What estimate she has made of the total value of increased employer national insurance contributions from outsourced private suppliers within the prison and probation service for the next 12 months.

The latest forecasts for tax revenues were published alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) October Economic and Fiscal Outlook. These forecasts are based on economic determinants, including wage growth and employment levels. Detailed tax receipts forecasts can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 - Office for Budget Responsibility. A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.