Written questions by Maskell.

What assessment has he made of the potential impact of reduced funding for the prison education service on prisoner outcomes.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to supporting prisoners’ rehabilitation through educational activities. The national funding for prison education has not been reduced; it increased by 3% this financial year. However, inflationary pressures across education services have affected the proportion of the overall budget that can be directed to Core Education contracts. This has resulted in a national reduction of around 20-25% in Core Education delivery. This reduction is not uniform across the estate, and variation is due to an updated education funding formula, which ensures prison allocations more accurately reflect prison function, capacity and learner need. Governors continue to have flexibility to commission the education that best meets the needs of their population, and the wider educational offer, such as vocational training in industries settings, further and higher education, libraries, and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance remain in place. We are also working closely with Governors to maximise attendance at education to ensure best value for money and the best outcomes for prisoners. We will monitor delivery and outcomes through contract management and a full evaluation of the new Prisoner Education Service. Suppliers as part of their mobilisation activities have reviewed their organisational structures to ensure that these are responsive to the commissioned delivery requirements, which unfortunately has led to some redundancies. Suppliers are working to support their employees through this period of change. Specific figures relating to the number of redundancies are held by suppliers, rather than the Ministry of Justice.

What steps he has taken to ensure that (a) all people who enter prison are assessed for neuro differences and (b) that such people are supported with appropriate strategies to support their learning and rehabilitation.

HMPPS offers screening to prisoners upon entry to prison for additional learning needs, including neurodivergent needs. A new Additional Learning Needs screener was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This screening helps identify any additional learning needs prisoners may have that might impact their ability to engage with learning opportunities in prison. Healthcare also have a duty to ensure that appropriate reasonable adjustments are in place to enable individuals to access and engage with healthcare services and may also be able to offer advice on specialist reasonable adjustments. Where additional needs are identified, key information, including any required support or adjustments is recorded on a central digital platform so it is accessible to relevant staff across the prison estate. Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSM) in the prison, are responsible for improving processes to identify and support prisoner needs, and ensuring that neurodivergent prisoners can access education, skills and work opportunities. This whole prison approach, led by NSMs, equips staff with the information they need to support prisoners with appropriate strategies that enable them to access learning and rehabilitative opportunities within prison and prepare for a successful reintegration into the community.

What estimate he has made of the number of redundancies to be made in the Prison Education Service as a result of the reduction in funding.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to supporting prisoners’ rehabilitation through educational activities. The national funding for prison education has not been reduced; it increased by 3% this financial year. However, inflationary pressures across education services have affected the proportion of the overall budget that can be directed to Core Education contracts. This has resulted in a national reduction of around 20-25% in Core Education delivery. This reduction is not uniform across the estate, and variation is due to an updated education funding formula, which ensures prison allocations more accurately reflect prison function, capacity and learner need. Governors continue to have flexibility to commission the education that best meets the needs of their population, and the wider educational offer, such as vocational training in industries settings, further and higher education, libraries, and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance remain in place. We are also working closely with Governors to maximise attendance at education to ensure best value for money and the best outcomes for prisoners. We will monitor delivery and outcomes through contract management and a full evaluation of the new Prisoner Education Service. Suppliers as part of their mobilisation activities have reviewed their organisational structures to ensure that these are responsive to the commissioned delivery requirements, which unfortunately has led to some redundancies. Suppliers are working to support their employees through this period of change. Specific figures relating to the number of redundancies are held by suppliers, rather than the Ministry of Justice.

What steps is he taking to develop a comprehensive education programme for prisoners.

The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS are committed to improving the future prospects of prisoners through comprehensive education and skills provision. Last year, a new Prisoner Education Service was launched which is designed to improve the literacy, numeracy and wider skills of all prisoners who need it and support them to gain qualifications that will increase their employment prospects on release. New contracts include a strengthened specification for high-quality delivery, improved screening and assessment, clearer requirements for support for additional learning needs, and a new Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance service. These new contracts are underpinned by improved digital infrastructure, including the Learning & Work Progress Service and new screening and assessment tools which will help prisoners by reducing repeated assessments and ensuring that information about their progress follows them across the estate. Education activities in each prison are planned by Heads of Education, Skills and Work who bring teaching expertise into prison leadership to ensure provision meets the needs of the local cohort. Prisoners can access a comprehensive curriculum including reading support, functional skills, digital skills, vocational and technical training, and opportunities to progress to higher-level learning. Governors can use the Dynamic Purchasing System to commission specialist provision that reflects local labour market needs and the requirements of their population. The Ministry of Justice is undertaking a full evaluation of the new Prisoner Education Service.

What steps he is taking to assure the safety of people working in the prison education service.

The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS has zero tolerance for violence against prison officers and prison staff, including those who work in prison education.The Education Provider is required to abide by all prison risk assessments and safe systems of work put in place by the Governor to ensure appropriate staff safety. Education Providers have a further responsibility to ensure that all staff are properly trained and carry out their duties in line with Health and Safety Policies, and are required to work with the Governor, including participating in Risk Assessment processes where necessary. There are established routes for escalation of any Safety issues for resolution.

What assessment has he made of the potential impact of the Prison Education Service on the future prospects of prisoners.

The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS are committed to improving the future prospects of prisoners through comprehensive education and skills provision. Last year, a new Prisoner Education Service was launched which is designed to improve the literacy, numeracy and wider skills of all prisoners who need it and support them to gain qualifications that will increase their employment prospects on release. New contracts include a strengthened specification for high-quality delivery, improved screening and assessment, clearer requirements for support for additional learning needs, and a new Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance service. These new contracts are underpinned by improved digital infrastructure, including the Learning & Work Progress Service and new screening and assessment tools which will help prisoners by reducing repeated assessments and ensuring that information about their progress follows them across the estate. Education activities in each prison are planned by Heads of Education, Skills and Work who bring teaching expertise into prison leadership to ensure provision meets the needs of the local cohort. Prisoners can access a comprehensive curriculum including reading support, functional skills, digital skills, vocational and technical training, and opportunities to progress to higher-level learning. Governors can use the Dynamic Purchasing System to commission specialist provision that reflects local labour market needs and the requirements of their population. The Ministry of Justice is undertaking a full evaluation of the new Prisoner Education Service.

If she will review the Guide to Judicial Conduct.

The Lord Chancellor and Lady Chief Justice have a joint responsibility for judicial discipline. However, to preserve judicial independence, the statutory responsibility for the guidance of the judiciary, including for setting the conduct standards for the judiciary, is held by the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 respectively.The Lord Chancellor has no role in this respect, and it is not constitutionally appropriate for the Government to review the judiciary’s guidance.

What recent assessment she has made of the safety of judges.

The Secretary of State for Justice regards judicial office holders' safety with great importance. This is a matter that the Ministry of Justice takes very seriously. There are a range of judicial security policies and procedures in place to protect judicial office holders inside of court, outside of court and online. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) works jointly with both the Judicial Office and the Police to deliver these. Over £20m in additional funding in 2025/26 has been allocated to a programme of works to further strengthen the existing arrangements, and Ministry of Justice and HMCTS are working with the Security Taskforce, commissioned by the Lady Chief Justice and chaired by Deputy Senior Presiding Judge Mrs Justice Yip, to consider opportunities for further improvement.

What assessment has she made of the adequacy of funding for organisations in the voluntary community sector working in the area of sexual violence.

The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, including community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, in addition to core funding for Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.To ensure these services can continue to be delivered, I have protected dedicated Violence Against Women and Girls victims spending in the Department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund grant for specialist sexual violence support services.Now that the Department has its Spending Review settlement, there will be a process within the Department to allocate this budget to individual areas, including victims funding. This will require difficult and carefully considered decisions to balance priorities within the Ministry of Justice.

What steps is her Department taking to fund voluntary community sector organisations to support people leaving prison as part of her Sentencing Review.

I recognise the valuable role of the thousands of voluntary organisations that work in partnership with probation to provide vital support to people serving their sentence in prison, in the community and people returning to the community after prison.The Government has welcomed the findings and recommendations of the Rt Hon David Gauke’s Independent Sentencing Review. This includes specific recommendations on increasing the role of the third sector in supporting offenders in the community. My Department is exploring the best approach to implementing these recommendations as part of the wider programme of reform that we are taking forward to implement the Sentencing Review. We will look to work with the Third Sector on these recommendations.These reforms are backed by significant investment of up to £700 million in the Probation Service by the final year of the Spending Review. We are currently finalising the allocations process to set internal budgets for the spending period, including how this probation settlement will be spent.

What steps she is taking help reduce waiting times for support services for survivors of sexual abuse.

This Government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.We recognise the invaluable role support services play in the delivery of this mission. This is why the Ministry of Justice provides funding that ensures victims of sexual abuse can access the support they need.This includes funding for the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission local support services for victims of all crime, including sexual abuse, based on their assessment of local need, as well as grants for specialist support organisations through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund. Furthermore, the MOJ-commissioned 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, delivered by Rape Crisis England and Wales, provides victims and survivors 24/7 access to vital help and information, including whilst waiting for longer term support.

How many confiscations of nitazines took place in prisons in each of the last three years.

The information requested is not collected in a format that would enable it to be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Whether her Department is recording the number of cases of nitazene use in prison which has required (a) on site medical attention and (b) an ambualance to be called in each of the last three years.

The information requested, which relates to the responsibilities of more than one Government Department, is not collected in a format that would enable us to do so without incurring disproportionate cost.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to give indirect witnesses of criminal offences that have taken place on social media standing in law to complain to the (a) Police and (b) Independent Office for Police Conduct about those offences.

Any individual is entitled, and should be encouraged, to report anything they believe to be criminal behaviour, however they became aware of it, to the police.Section 12 of the Police Reform Act 2022 sets out that to use the police complaints system, a person (member of the public) must have been adversely impacted by the events about which they complain.The Home Office are responsible for policy and legislation on the reporting of crime and complaints to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

What steps she is taking to ensure adequate funding for support for victims of sexual violence after 31 March 2025.

My department provides funding for vital rape and sexual abuse support, to help victims cope and recover from the impacts of crime, through a mix of locally and nationally commissioned services. Funding beyond March 2025 will be agreed with HM Treasury through the Spending Review, which we cannot pre-empt. We will work closely with HMT officials through this process.