Written questions by Davies.

What steps his Department is taking to provide sustainable funding for grassroots men’s mental health initiatives.

The Department currently has no plans to provide funding for grassroots men’s mental health initiatives. More widely, the 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including for men. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App. The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies middle aged men as a priority group for targeted and tailored support at a national level. On 19 November, to coincide with International Men’s Health Day, we published the Men’s Health Strategy. The strategy includes tangible actions to improve access to healthcare, provide the right support to enable men to make healthier choices, develop healthy living and working conditions, foster strong social, community and family networks, and address societal norms. It also considers how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, which include mental health and suicide prevention, respiratory illness, prostate cancer, and heart disease. Through the Men’s Health Strategy, we are launching a groundbreaking partnership with the Premier League to tackle male suicide and improve mental health literacy, by embedding health messaging into the matchday experience. We also announced the Suicide Prevention Support Pathfinders programme for middle-aged men. This program will invest up to £3.6 million over three years in areas of England where middle-aged men are at most risk taking their own lives and will tackle the barriers that they face in seeking support.

What steps she will take to increase levels of investment into community finance organisations such as credit unions.

The Government is taking concrete steps to increase investment into community finance organisations. In November 2024, the British Business Bank launched the Community ENABLE Funding (CEF) Programme. This will channel £150 million over the next two years to not-for-profit lenders, including Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), to widen access to affordable credit for underserved consumers and businesses. The Government also recognises the important role of credit unions in providing savings and affordable loans to their members and in supporting local communities throughout the country. It is therefore taking action to support credit unions to grow and scale into the future, including a package of growth‑focussed reforms to the credit union common bond. These reforms were announced in the Financial Inclusion Strategy, published last month, which also outlines a number of measures aimed at improving access to affordable credit — including a Credit Union Transformation Fund to support the sector in England to scale. The Government will work closely with stakeholders to deliver on these interventions.

What steps she will take to measure the impact of the Financial Inclusion Strategy in supporting the credit union sector.

The Government recognises the value that credit unions bring to their members and their key role in supporting financial inclusion, particularly through the provision of savings products and affordable credit. I published the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy last month which sets out a range of ambitious measures to improve financial inclusion and resilience across the UK. This includes interventions to support the credit union sector scale and serve its members more effectively, through the launch of a new £30 million transformation fund for credit unions in England and growth-focused reforms to the common bond to support the growth of credit unions in Great Britain. We have engaged closely with a range of stakeholders, including credit union sector representatives, to develop the Strategy, and will continue to do so to ensure it has a meaningful impact. The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling Credit Unions to offer Help to Save accounts.

The Help to Save scheme supports financial resilience for working people on low incomes by encouraging consistent, long-term saving and helping them build a financial buffer to plan and prepare for the future. The scheme is currently available to working individuals in receipt of Universal Credit, ensuring it remains targeted at its intended population. As announced at Autumn Budget 2025, the government will make the Help to Save scheme permanent and, from April 2028, will expand eligibility to include all Universal Credit claimants who receive the child element, the caring element or both. The government has recently consulted on reforms to the future delivery of Help to Save and has engaged with a range of third-party financial institutions, including credit unions, as part of this process. While a decision on the future delivery model has not yet been made, the government will continue working with credit unions and other interested financial institutions as these proposals are developed further.

What the Department’s timelines are for implementing the recommendations set out in the Chief Medical Officer’s report, Health of People in Prison, on Probation and in the Secure NHS Estate in England, published on 6 November 2025.

We welcome the Chief Medical Officer’s report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure National Health Service estate in England and we are carefully considering the findings and recommendations.The Department is committed to working with partners to reduce health inequalities for prisoners and is a signatory of the National Partnership Agreement which supports commissioning and delivery of appropriate service in prisons. We recognise that there is more we need to do to address health issues for this cohort. In addition, NHS England is updating all 19 health and justice service specifications by March 2026, which should provide opportunities to improve healthcare in prisons.With specific regard to improving access to effective drug treatment and support services across the criminal justice pathway, including upon release from custody, the Department works closely with national partners and with local authorities to improve continuity of care between prison and community drug and alcohol treatment systems. To support this the Department has published a continuity of care self-assessment toolkit and shares actionable data and good practice with drug and alcohol partnerships on a regular basis. The toolkit is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/continuity-of-care-from-prison-to-community-self-assessment-tool

What specific actions the Department is taking, in response to the Chief Medical Officer’s report on the health of people in prison, published on 6 November 2025, to improve access to effective drug treatment and support services across the criminal justice pathway, including upon release from custody.

We welcome the Chief Medical Officer’s report on the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure National Health Service estate in England and we are carefully considering the findings and recommendations.The Department is committed to working with partners to reduce health inequalities for prisoners and is a signatory of the National Partnership Agreement which supports commissioning and delivery of appropriate service in prisons. We recognise that there is more we need to do to address health issues for this cohort. In addition, NHS England is updating all 19 health and justice service specifications by March 2026, which should provide opportunities to improve healthcare in prisons.With specific regard to improving access to effective drug treatment and support services across the criminal justice pathway, including upon release from custody, the Department works closely with national partners and with local authorities to improve continuity of care between prison and community drug and alcohol treatment systems. To support this the Department has published a continuity of care self-assessment toolkit and shares actionable data and good practice with drug and alcohol partnerships on a regular basis. The toolkit is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/continuity-of-care-from-prison-to-community-self-assessment-tool

What assessment he has made of the Chief Medical Officer’s report, Health of People in Prison, on Probation and in the Secure NHS Estate in England, published on 6 November 2025, and how his department will be working with the Department of Health and Social Care to implement its recommendations.

The Government welcomes the Chief Medical Officer’s review of the health of people in prison, on probation and in the secure NHS estate in England. This is an important area of focus and the report makes a range of recommendations to improve health outcomes for those in contact with the criminal justice system.Improving health outcomes for people in prison and on probation is a shared challenge across the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, and we will continue to work in close partnership, as reflected by our National Partnership Agreement, as we carefully consider how to address the recommendations highlighted in the report.

What steps his Department is taking to improve continuity of care for people with drug treatment needs on release from prison, including ensuring effective links between prison and community drug treatment services.

Everyone who has drug and/or alcohol treatment needs is assessed in prison and offered a referral to a treatment or recovery service on release. The Department works closely with national partners and with local authorities to improve continuity of care between prison and community drug and alcohol treatment systems. To support this, the Department has published a continuity of care self-assessment toolkit, and shares actionable data and good practice with drug and alcohol partnerships on a regular basis. The continuity of care self-assessment toolkit is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/continuity-of-care-from-prison-to-community-self-assessment-tool This work has enabled more people than ever to receive the treatment they need following their release from prison. The proportion of adults released from prison and successfully starting community treatment within three weeks of release was 53% in 2023 to 2024. This is a 10% increase from the proportion reported in 2022 to 2023, at 43%, and is 23% higher than when this data was first reported in 2015 to 2016, at 30%.

What steps he is taking to help reduce electricity costs.

Our mission for clean power is the single best way to bring down bills for good. Families have been let down by successive Tory governments who left our energy system exposed. We’re determined to change that.

What steps she is taking to help develop reading for pleasure in schools.

The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits.That is why we are launching the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.On 29 September, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, committed over £10 million of funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament. The government will set out further details of the scheme in due course.The government has also committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.

Media and Sport, when she plans to begin the rollout of primary school libraries in every primary school in England.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility for the Dormant Assets Scheme, which is providing funding to support the primary school library commitment, previously announced by the Chancellor. Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. This includes a commitment to ensuring that every primary school in England has a library space by the end of this Parliament. The Government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and develop more of the specifics around its delivery. Further details will be announced in due course, including expected timelines.

What (a) training and (b) support will be given to (i) teachers and (ii) education staff to support the delivery of stronger literacy in schools.

The government has committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.We will also build secondary schools' capacity to support students with reading needs by providing new training from January 2026. This training should reach 75% of secondary schools this academic year.Following the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review published on 5 November 2025, we will also introduce new frameworks on primary oracy and combined secondary oracy, reading and writing.Additionally, on 7 July 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced that 2026 will be the National Year of Reading. The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people, and adults.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) level of rollout completion and (b) uptake rates of lung cancer screening programmes in each area where those services have been commissioned.

The National Lung Cancer Screening Programme is designed to identify lung cancer at an earlier stage, particularly among people at highest risk. The programme offers screening to individuals aged 55 to 74 years old with a history of smoking, recognising that lung cancer disproportionately affects people living in more deprived areas.The National Health Service is currently rolling out the programme across England. The Public Health Functions Agreement between the Department and NHS England sets a target to invite 50% of the eligible population by March 2026, with full implementation planned by the end of the decade.To encourage uptake of lung screening, the NHS in England is directly targeting activity at areas that we know will make a difference. This includes awareness campaigns such as the NHS Help Us, Help You campaign, to increase awareness of cancer symptoms, including lung cancer, and encourage people to get checked.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the use of (a) problem-solving courts, (b) community treatment requirements and (c) other rehabilitative measures for people with multiple disadvantage.

Following the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendation to expand Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs – the UK equivalent of “problem solving courts”), the Ministry of Justice launched an Expression of Interest process to identify new areas for delivery. This process has now closed, and successful applicants are expected to be announced in the coming months. Earlier this year, the Department announced that a new women’s ISC will launch at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, with implementation planned within the next year. Further expansion remains subject to funding allocations.The Ministry of Justice works closely with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure that all offenders who need it have access to high-quality mental health, alcohol and substance misuse treatment. Responsibility for commissioning and delivery of substance misuse treatment in the community lies with Local Authorities. DHSC has made a targeted investment to support those referred by the criminal justice system, including funding 575 drug and alcohol workers with criminal justice specialisms who work closely with prisons, probation and in courts as well as the police to improve access to and quality of treatment. At a local level, Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators have been recruited across all probation regions in England and Wales to strengthen operational links between treatment providers and probation, bolstering support for those with Drug Rehabilitation Requirements and Alcohol Treatment Requirements. Our ongoing partnership with NHS England has also achieved an increase in the number of Mental Health Treatment Requirements with the number sentenced now more than five times higher than it was a decade ago, up from 960 in 2014 to 4,880 in 2024.We remain committed to tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of interventions which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes, but is not limited to, education, employment and accommodation, alongside health services.

What training is provided to police officers to (a) identify and (b) respond to offenders with unmet (i) health and (ii) social needs to divert them away from the criminal justice system.

The Home Office has previously published guidance for police forces and local partners outlining approaches they should consider, collectively, to support people they encounter who have mental health problems, learning difficulties and drug misuse issues.That sets out that when the police identify a person whom they suspect of committing an offence as being vulnerable, forces have systems in place to refer people into a Liaison and Diversion scheme.Health professionals within criminal justice Liaison and Diversion teams will then: assess the person’s health needs, refer them for treatment or support (when appropriate), and provide relevant information to police and courts to help inform charging and sentencing. Moreover, the College of Policing has published guidelines for ‘recognising and responding to vulnerability-related risks’, which provides a framework to ensure vulnerable people receive appropriate help during interactions with the police

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving continuity of care for repeat offenders as they move between prison and the community.

We recognise that the first few weeks after release for prison leavers are high-risk for relapse, overdose and reoffending, and we are determined to ensure prison leavers have a smooth transition into the community, with swift access to care and treatment to address this.Lord Timpson, the Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending continues to engage with Baroness Merron and Minister Dalton, Minister for Public Health and Prevention in the Department for Health and Social Care, to discuss issues related to offender health and care and drive progress forward. The Drug and Alcohol Recovery Expert Panel (DAREP), chaired by Lord Timpson, was established to identify key areas for improvement in our current approach to tackling problematic drug and alcohol use in the criminal justice system in England and Wales, including consideration of continuity of care and resettlement. Minister Dalton is part of DAREP’s core membership.Working closely with health partners, we have recruited over 50 Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators. These staff operate nationwide to strengthen links between prison, probation and treatment providers. NHS England’s RECONNECT service also supports prison leavers with vulnerabilities to engage with the right health services in the community through referrals and peer support. We are also improving information sharing between treatment providers and probation and enabling virtual pre-release appointments with community treatment providers via secure laptops.

What estimate he has made of the potential cost savings to the criminal justice system of a one per cent reduction in reoffending among repeat offenders.

Reoffending in England and Wales is estimated to cost taxpayers £22.7 billion per year (adjusted to 24/25 prices). That is why we are investing in interventions that help individuals move away from crime, including employment, accommodation and substance misuse treatment services.Currently, we have not produced an estimate of the potential cost savings to the criminal justice system from a one per cent reduction in reoffending among repeat offenders.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community sentences in addressing the (a) health and (b) social needs of people who repeatedly reoffend.

We are committed to diverting vulnerable offenders with mental health and substance misuse needs away from prison or out of the criminal justice system altogether, where appropriate.Many people who have committed low-level offences can be managed more effectively in the community, with the right treatment and support to tackle the health-related causes of their offending behaviour, than on short custodial sentences. In addition to addressing issues around substance misuse and mental health, community sentence treatment requirements can also help to improve social needs around housing, benefits and primary care for example.In September 2024, the Institute for Public Safety Crime and Justice published the Community Sentence Treatment Requirement Multisite Report July 2020 to June 2024 with a focus on Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs). Overall, the results presented in this report showed that MHTR interventions had a statistically significant benefit in terms of mental distress, anxiety and depression. 76% of service users experienced a positive reliable change in terms of global distress, 60% experienced positive reliable change in terms of anxiety and 53% experienced a positive reliable change in terms of depression. Overall, for those who completed a MHTR, 82% experienced a positive reliable change in at least one of the psychometrics measured.We are piloting Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), diverting some offenders with complex needs away from short custodial sentences to enhanced community sentences aimed at addressing multiple needs linked to their offending. The process evaluation interim report found that some participants on ISCs reported reduced substance misuse, improved mental wellbeing and self-esteem, and improved relationships with their families.

What steps her Department is taking with (a) DHSC and (b) MHCLG to ensure (i) policing, (ii) health and (iii) local authority partnerships (A) identify and (B) respond effectively to individuals at risk of entering a cycle of reoffending.

Prolific offenders and those in a cycle of reoffending commit a disproportionate amount of crime and societal harm and generate outsized demand for the police, criminal justice system and public services, making them an important focus for intervention.Every neighbourhood across England and Wales now has named and contactable neighbourhood officer, dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most by working closely with their communities, businesses, and partner agencies, using local intelligence to problem solve complex issues such as repeat offending.The Government supports the use of diversion and early intervention, recognising that we cannot tackle prolific offending through policing alone. Police forces have a range of powers available, such as out of court resolutions, to divert offenders away from the criminal justice system where appropriate.Drugs are a major cause of crime and continued investment in treatment and recovery services will be vital to help reduce levels of reoffending. Part of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Improvement Grant funds treatment and wraparound support for people sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping who have a drug need. This helps deliver integrated, cross-sector working in preventing homelessness and supporting substance misuse treatment and recovery.In addition, Combating Drugs Partnerships play an important role in tackling prolific offending. These partnerships bring together police, probation, public health, the NHS and other local partners to deliver a whole-system, multi-agency response to drug-related harms, including tackling the crime and antisocial behaviour linked to drugs.Overall, given the demand prolific offenders generate across various services and the complexity of their needs, the Home Office has ongoing discussions with other government Departments, the police, local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) on how to continue to strengthen our approach to this cohort.

What plans she has to support Police and Crime Commissioners to implement local strategies to reduce reoffending among repeat offenders.

Prolific offenders and those in a cycle of reoffending commit a disproportionate amount of crime and societal harm and generate outsized demand for the police, criminal justice system and public services, making them an important focus for intervention.Every neighbourhood across England and Wales now has named and contactable neighbourhood officer, dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most by working closely with their communities, businesses, and partner agencies, using local intelligence to problem solve complex issues such as repeat offending.The Government supports the use of diversion and early intervention, recognising that we cannot tackle prolific offending through policing alone. Police forces have a range of powers available, such as out of court resolutions, to divert offenders away from the criminal justice system where appropriate.Drugs are a major cause of crime and continued investment in treatment and recovery services will be vital to help reduce levels of reoffending. Part of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Improvement Grant funds treatment and wraparound support for people sleeping rough or at risk of rough sleeping who have a drug need. This helps deliver integrated, cross-sector working in preventing homelessness and supporting substance misuse treatment and recovery.In addition, Combating Drugs Partnerships play an important role in tackling prolific offending. These partnerships bring together police, probation, public health, the NHS and other local partners to deliver a whole-system, multi-agency response to drug-related harms, including tackling the crime and antisocial behaviour linked to drugs.Overall, given the demand prolific offenders generate across various services and the complexity of their needs, the Home Office has ongoing discussions with other government Departments, the police, local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) on how to continue to strengthen our approach to this cohort.