Written questions by Jenrick.

How many prisoners have been accidentally released since July 2024.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue. Totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, and provide data up to March 2025. A further transparency ad hoc publication, available via Releases_in_Error_from_1_April_2025_to_31_October_2025.pdf, also cover the number of releases in error from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025.

How many prisoners accidentally released since 1 April 2025 were (a) foreign nationals and (b) asylum seekers.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected. We have put in place a five-point plan to do that. We regularly publish information on releases in error, but this does not include numbers of foreign nationals or asylum seekers. Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced. Where appropriate, the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025, over 5,000 FNOs were removed. This is an increase of 14% compared to the 4,532 FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior.

How many prisoners accidentally released since 1 April 2025 have a history of (a) violent and (b) sexual offending.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those releases in error that do occur; on 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible. Totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, and provide data up to March 2025. A further transparency ad hoc publication, available via Releases_in_Error_from_1_April_2025_to_31_October_2025.pdf, also cover the number of releases in error from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025. The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

What steps he is taking to prevent terrorists from using ECHR (a) rights and (b) procedures to avoid detention in separation centres.

This Government is committed to the European Convention on Human Rights. Commitment does not mean complacency, however, and we must keep under review whether the application of the Convention is acting as a barrier to us protecting national security. We continue to refer and place the most dangerous radicalisers in Separation Centres. We will not hesitate to use our powers under the law to use Separation Centres to protect the mainstream prison population. The Government is carefully considering the findings of Jonathan Hall KC’s independent review into the operation of Separation Centres, which was commissioned following the attack at HMP Frankland earlier this year. We will publish Mr Hall’s report and our response in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners did not return to detention from day release from prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 12 months.

Data on failures to return from release on temporary licence are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK. These figures cover all forms of release on temporary licence. Data for April 2025 onwards will form part of a future publication.

With reference to R (Denny De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin), how much his Department has paid Mr Denny De SIlva in (a) damages, (b) other compensation, (c) ex gratia or out-of-court payments and (d) legal costs.

With reference to R (Denny De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin):(a), (b), (c) The damages claim is ongoing and therefore we cannot comment on compensation, ex-gratia or out-of-court payments.(d) Legal costs for the Judicial Review were settled at £255,000, inclusive of interest and assessment costs.HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) successfully defends around two-thirds of all litigation cases brought by prisoners. Where damages are awarded to prisoners, we seek to ensure that payments are offset against any outstanding debts owed to victims and the courts.

With reference to R (Awale) v Secretary of State for Justice [2024] EWHC 2322 (Admin), how much his Department has paid Mr Fuad Awale in (a) damages, (b) other compensation, (c) any ex gratia or out-of-court payments and (d) legal costs.

With reference to R (Awale) v Secretary of State for Justice [2024] EWHC 2322 (Admin):(a), (b), (c) The damages claim is ongoing and therefore we cannot comment on compensation, ex-gratia or out-of-court payments.(d) Legal costs for the Judicial Review were settled at £234,250, inclusive of interest and assessment costs.HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) successfully defends around two-thirds of all litigation cases brought by prisoners. Where damages are awarded to prisoners, we seek to ensure that payments are offset against any outstanding debts owed to victims and the courts.

How many cases awaiting trial are related to non-payment of the BBC license fee by (a) age and (b) sex.

The Ministry of Justice holds data on cases awaiting trial related to non-payment of the BBC licence fee. As of 6 November 2025, there were 76 such cases.By age:Age CategoriesCase CountUnder 25125-443145-644065 and over3No age recorded1By sex:GenderCase CountFemale58Male17Not recorded1Source: HMCTS management information Common Platform: extracted 6 November 2025Data Caveats:1) The count is based upon cases in which a hearing is scheduled for 6 November 2025 or the future and contains the following offence codes CT0310 - Use a television set without a licence; CA03010B - Aid / abet / counsel / procure the use of a television receiver without a licence; CA03011 - Possess a television set with intent to install / use without a licence; CA03501 - Use a television set without a licence - other address (manual entry).2) Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system and is the best data that is available.3) Data are management information and are not subject to the same level of checks as official statistics.4) Data are taken from a live management information system and can change over time and for that reason might differ slightly from any previously published information.5) Data has not been cross referenced with case files.

How many cases awaiting trial are related to non-payment of the BBC license fee.

The Ministry of Justice holds data on cases awaiting trial related to non-payment of the BBC licence fee. As of 6 November 2025, there were 76 such cases.By age:Age CategoriesCase CountUnder 25125-443145-644065 and over3No age recorded1By sex:GenderCase CountFemale58Male17Not recorded1Source: HMCTS management information Common Platform: extracted 6 November 2025Data Caveats:1) The count is based upon cases in which a hearing is scheduled for 6 November 2025 or the future and contains the following offence codes CT0310 - Use a television set without a licence; CA03010B - Aid / abet / counsel / procure the use of a television receiver without a licence; CA03011 - Possess a television set with intent to install / use without a licence; CA03501 - Use a television set without a licence - other address (manual entry).2) Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system and is the best data that is available.3) Data are management information and are not subject to the same level of checks as official statistics.4) Data are taken from a live management information system and can change over time and for that reason might differ slightly from any previously published information.5) Data has not been cross referenced with case files.

What visits he has conducted to (a) HMP Pentonville and (b) HMP Manchester since he became Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor.

Since his appointment in September, HMP Pentonville and HMP Manchester are not prisons the Secretary of State for Justice has visited although he has been to HMP Belmarsh and HMP Gartree. Ministers visit prisons regularly and in recent months this has included both HMP Manchester and HMP Pentonville.

If he will publish an update on plans to trial chemical castration for sexual offenders.

As the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 16 September, the innovative pilot of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal for sex offenders will continue in the South West and will be expanded to two new regions – the North West and North East of England. This will extend the service across to twenty prisons in three regions, up from the current four, as the first step towards a national rollout.We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation of the new pilot regions in 2026. We are also continuing to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

With reference to the press release entitled Major safety boost for frontline prison staff, published on 21 September 2025, how many stab vests have been issued to frontline prison staff since that announcement.

I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the reply I gave to the hon Member for Fylde on 20 October 2025 to PQ 79110.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of subjecting prison officers to security checks upon entering prisons.

The vast majority of prison staff are hardworking and dedicated; however, HMPPS recognises the risk of corruption and is committed to tackling it at all levels. We have a range of physical security measures in place to reduce the conveyance of illicit items into prisons.Airport-style Enhanced Gate Security, comprising of metal detectors and X-ray baggage scanners, is used in 54 high-risk prison sites (both private and public sector), enabling routine searching of prison officers.In addition, local security strategies allow for routine and random rub-down searches of prison officers and other staff and visitors upon entry to, or within, prisons.Prison security must be dynamic and be able to respond to shifting risks as they manifest. We regularly review our security countermeasures capabilities and use all the tools at our disposal. We will not hesitate to adjust our approach as needed.

Whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of instances of prisoners bring transferred from prison to court late in the last 12 months.

In the 12 months to 30 September, 134,536 prisoners were escorted to court from prison, 99.8% of whom were delivered on time by the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contractors. There were 2151 reported instances of delayed arrival in court. Of these, 832 (39%) were attributable to delays at the prison, and 1119 to the PECS contractor (in 814 of the PECS cases, no resulting trial delay was reported). The remaining 200 reported instances are attributable to wider system issues.

How many prison officers have been (a) investigated, (b) disciplined and (c) dismissed for engaging in inappropriate or sexual relationships with prisoners in the last 12 months.

Data relating to investigations and conduct and discipline cases within HM Prison & Probation Service cannot be provided for the last 12 months because it forms a subset of the data planned for future release as part of the next annual HM Prison & Probation Service Staff Equalities Report. The data for the period ending 31 March 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025.

What estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of the operation to (a) locate and (b) re-apprehend Hadush Kebatu following his release from custody.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those releases in error that do occur – including through improved staff training and establishing a new specialist unit. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.We have gripped this chaos – by building more prison places, ending the last Government’s early release scheme, being transparent with the public, immediately making changes to sentences to ease pressure on the system and now, taking landmark reforms through our Sentencing Bill to make sure that prisons never run out of places again.Locating and re-apprehending a suspect relate to policing and are a matter for the Home Office.

How many prison officers employed by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service are of (a) UK and (b) non-UK nationality by country of nationality.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that foreign-born prison officers undergo appropriate (a) vetting and (b) background checks before appointment.

Eligibility for employment in the Civil Service, including with regard to nationality, is set out in the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs). All applicants applying to work in the Ministry of Justice or its agencies must meet the CSNRs and must have a valid right to work in the United Kingdom and have successfully completed pre-employment checks.All candidates, regardless of nationality, are subject to a series of background checks, which assess them against a range of legislative requirements and security-related factors that are pertinent to anyone working within H M Prison Service. These include confirmation of identity, right to work in the UK, a criminal records check, declaration of any offender connections, employment reference enquiries and a financial vulnerability assessment.All directly employed prison staff, including prison officers, must have a minimum security clearance of Enhanced Level 2. A range of additional digital vetting and social media checks are also conducted in relation to prison officer recruits.For all prison officers working in prisons in the Long-Term and High Security Estate, an additional National Security Vetting Check at Counter Terrorist Check level is required, as a minimum.

How many prison officers have been subject to (a) disciplinary action and (b) dismissal for misconduct in the last year by the nationality of those officers.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

If he will provide a breakdown by prison establishment of the number of prisoners who have been erroneously released since 1 April 2025.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those releases in error that do occur – including through improved staff training and establishing a new specialist unit. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.We have gripped this chaos – by building more prison places, ending the last Government’s early release scheme, being transparent with the public, immediately making changes to sentences to ease pressure on the system and now, taking landmark reforms through our Sentencing Bill to make sure that prisons never run out of places againAnnual totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via Prison and Probation Performance Statistics - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.The number of people who have been released in error since April 2025 cannot be provided because it would form a subset of releases in error data which underpins future versions of these Official Statistics.