Written questions by Kohler.

What criteria are used to determine when prisoners may be prohibited from communicating with the media.

Awaiting answer.

What the average length of time was from charge to completion in court for rape cases in England and Wales in each year since 2016.

The Ministry of Justice publishes figures for Crown Court timeliness on a quarterly basis in the ‘End-to-end timeliness tool (Crown Court)’. This includes time taken from charge to completion for rape cases: Criminal court statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.Offence group can be filtered for ‘02: Sexual offences – all rape’. Both the mean and median time from charge to completion can be found in the table, dating back to 2016.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the prevalence of (a) drug use and (b) synthetic drug use among the prison population in England and Wales.

We recognise that illicit drug use in prisons is too high, and are committed to tackling this to improve safety, support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. We are investing over £40 million in physical security measures this financial year and have funded Incentivised Substance Free Living Units in 85 prisons. We work closely with health partners to identify prisoners with a drug dependency and support them into treatment and recovery and are rolling out naloxone in prisons – life saving medication which can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose.We are currently unable to publish performance data on drug level use in prisons because due to reduced testing levels, reduced number of prisons with sufficient testing and the need to update the testing panel, the data is currently not sufficient to robustly estimate the percentage positive. Prisons across the estate strive to conduct target levels of rMDT, but in recent years Governors have had to make difficult decisions about how to balance the demands of testing with wider capacity pressures. However, rMDT is only one element of a wider testing regime, which includes suspicion-based testing for those suspected of illicit use, and compact-based testing on Incentivised Substance Free Living Units and Drug Recovery Wings. Our testing regime enables us to monitor a wide range of substances and assess the prevalence of different types of drugs. We keep this under regular review to ensure we identify emerging trends to keep both prisoners and staff safe. Our new drug testing contract supports this by giving us greater flexibility to respond to emerging drug threats, including synthetic drugs.

What estimate he has made of the number of rape trials in England and Wales that were postponed in each year since 2015; and what the principal reasons were for those postponements.

The Ministry of Justice publishes figures for the volume of ineffective trials and reasons on a quarterly basis in the ‘Trial effectiveness at the criminal courts’ tool: Criminal court statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK. An ineffective trial does not take place on the scheduled trial start date and requires a subsequent rescheduled listing.A vacated trial is one that is removed from the trial list prior to the date of trial. These trials may or may not be listed for a future date. The trial effectiveness tool also includes data on the volume of vacated trials, but the Ministry of Justice does not currently publish reasons for vacation.The offence group field can be filtered for ‘02: Sexual offences – All Rape’ and there is also a filter for the reason for ineffective trials.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of convictions for violence against women and girls in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

Violence against women and girls constitutes a number of offences. The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes data on convictions for a number of offences including offences related to violence against women and girls in the Outcomes by Offence data tool. This can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.The Government cannot and does not seek to influence convictions or judicial outcomes, which are rightly matters for the independent judiciary. However, as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, we recognise it is vital for victims to feel able to come forward and obtain the justice they deserve.In December, we published our ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy’, which sets out the actions we are taking to achieve our VAWG mission. To support victims to come forward and feel able to stay engaged throughout the justice process, our strategy sets out a comprehensive package of measures to strengthen support at every stage of the criminal justice system. This includes court measures to protect victims from intrusive cross-examination, stronger perpetrator management through a national rollout of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, and the largest-ever investment of £550 million into victim support services over the next three years.

How many sitting days each (a) court and (b) tribunal in England and Wales has been allocated in the 2025–26 financial year.

The Ministry of Justice interprets this question as referring to the total allocations for each court and tribunal jurisdiction for the FY 2025/26. As part of this Government’s commitment to transparency, we began publishing total sitting‑day allocations by jurisdiction last year. The table below sets out the total allocations for FY2025/26 by jurisdiction. The Government has funded each jurisdiction to sit at or close to maximum capacity.Jurisdiction Sitting Day Allocation Crown110,000 (later increased to 111,250).Magistrates (Crime)114,000Civil74,300Family97,300Court of Protection4,900Immigration and Asylum Chamber*22,750Social Security and Child Support**23,000Employment33,900Mental Health17,000Other tribunals (Specials) ***36,100* This figure represents the total number of days funded from both Ministry of Justice and Home Office budgets. However, in order to maximise overall sittings within this funding, the total number of days allocated across the First Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal in aggregate was slightly higher, at 23,450.** This figure includes days funded from both Ministry of Justice and Department for Work and Pensions budgets.*** This figure only represents the sitting days included in the Ministry of Justice's baseline funding. There are long-standing agreements with several other government departments whereby they provide funding for capacity in specific tribunals. Additional days will be sat as a result of this additional funding.

What data his Department holds on the number of criminal legal aid firms that have ceased operating in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services in England and Wales. The LAA monitors the number of legal aid providers contracted to provide criminal legal aid services throughout England and Wales.Information regarding the number of legal aid providers with a criminal legal aid contract since 2018 is published as part of the LAA’s official statistics [table 9.6]. Please note that data for the current financial year has not yet been published. Information regarding number of contracted providers from 2008-2022 has previously been published in response to a PQ 121917.1Fluctuations in provider volumes can be the result of consolidation or merger activity. As such a reduction to the overall number of firms with a contract to provide criminal legal aid services does not always equate to a loss of provision or coverage. Not all providers who cease undertaking legal aid work will have ceased operating altogether. Some firms may continue to provide criminal advice and representation on a private basis.The LAA regularly reviews available supply of legal aid services across England and Wales to make sure there is adequate provision for legal aid, including under each criminal duty scheme, and takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise.Please note that figures for 2018-2022 in the official statistics may differ for those released under the PQ as the information in the statistics presents data as at the end of the financial year whereas the PQ response presented the figures as at the start of the financial year or most recent period for which figures were available.

What the longest waiting time was for a case to be heard in a criminal court in England and Wales once referred, as of the most recent data available.

We have interpreted your question to be asking for information on the longest time a case has taken to have its first hearing at a criminal court from the point of crime referral.The Ministry of Justice does not hold data regarding timeliness from the date of crime referral.The Department publishes quarterly timeliness data concerning the criminal courts in the ‘End-to-end timeliness tool (Crown Court)’ and ‘Magistrates’ courts timeliness tool’, at the following link: Criminal court statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.These Accredited Official Statistics present the latest statistics on type and volume of cases that are received and processed through the criminal court system of England and Wales, including multiple measures of timeliness. The statistics give a summary overview of the volume of cases and defendants dealt with by these courts over time, including further breakdowns of available timeliness stages, offence groups and factors impacting case flow (plea, remand and case type).

How many appeals relating to special educational needs and disabilities were lodged with the First-tier Tribunal in each of the last five years.

Information about appeals lodged with the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is published at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of court backlogs on levels of access to justice for (a) victims and (b) defendants.

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. As of June 2025, the open caseload reached 78,329. It is unacceptable that some victims, witnesses and defendants are waiting years for justice. This has left tens of thousands of victims facing devastating delays for justice, disrupting their ability to function, work, or maintain relationships, with many now pulling out of the process altogether.Upon taking office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total to a record 111,250 sitting days. The Government has allocated resources so that the Crown Court is sitting over 5000 extra days more than under the previous Conservative Government. We have also made significant increases in criminal legal aid with up to an additional £92 million investment.However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.Part one of his report has now been published. We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will respond in due course.We are committed to creating a more sustainable justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of rehabilitation programmes on reoffending rates by young adults.

We take an evidence-based approach to reducing reoffending, investing in a wide range of programmes that address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation. The pathway an individual takes - including young adults - is determined by their assessed risk and needs, ensuring interventions are targeted and proportionate.Our approach is grounded in a robust body of research and evidence on what works and we recently published a synthesis of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce reoffending (Reducing Reoffending - A Synthesis of Evidence on Effectiveness of Interventions). We continue to strengthen this foundation through ongoing evaluation, data analysis, and insights from delivery partners and international practice. The Justice Data Lab (JDL) supports this by producing tailored reports on the impact of rehabilitation programmes (Justice Data Lab statistics - GOV.UK). While not all evaluations are conducted at a scale that allows for detailed analysis of specific cohorts, we do disaggregate findings where possible to provide more targeted insights. For example, in 2023, the JDL published two large-scale evaluations of the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP), the most widely delivered accredited offending behaviour programme in custody by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) for individuals aged 18 and over. The evaluations found that participants, including those aged 18–25, committed fewer proven reoffences and were less likely to have any prison adjudications recorded than non-TSP participants.

What steps she is taking to promote the use of restorative justice.

Restorative justice can improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending. Victims must be informed about restorative justice under the Victims’ Code.We provide grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners for victim support services, including restorative justice.

What steps she is taking to increase awareness of restorative justice throughout the criminal justice system.

This Government supports the use of restorative justice. We know that restorative justice can improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending when delivered in the right circumstances. This not only benefits the victims and the offender but also their community.This is why, under the Victims’ Code, all adult victims must be told about the option of restorative justice and how to access it. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 has the potential to improve awareness of and compliance with the Victims’ Code, by making sure that victims know about their rights in the Victims’ Code and that agencies deliver them. But there is more to do to ensure the system and agencies that support victims can be held to account. That is why we will go further and increase the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner, to ensure there is more accountability where the needs of victims are not being met.Under a devolved model of commissioning, we also provide Police and Crime Commissioners with grant funding for victim support services, including restorative justice services. They are best placed to assess local need and commission services based on the needs of the population in the local area. Therefore, we currently have no plans for a national action plan.

If she will issue an updated Restorative Justice Action Plan.

This Government supports the use of restorative justice. We know that restorative justice can improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending when delivered in the right circumstances. This not only benefits the victims and the offender but also their community.This is why, under the Victims’ Code, all adult victims must be told about the option of restorative justice and how to access it. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 has the potential to improve awareness of and compliance with the Victims’ Code, by making sure that victims know about their rights in the Victims’ Code and that agencies deliver them. But there is more to do to ensure the system and agencies that support victims can be held to account. That is why we will go further and increase the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner, to ensure there is more accountability where the needs of victims are not being met.Under a devolved model of commissioning, we also provide Police and Crime Commissioners with grant funding for victim support services, including restorative justice services. They are best placed to assess local need and commission services based on the needs of the population in the local area. Therefore, we currently have no plans for a national action plan.