Written questions by Lowe.

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of legal aid support in deportation cases in the last 12 months.

Expenditure relating to deportation and removal appeals is published as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s Official Statistics as part of its ‘detailed civil data’ collection. Due to the way information is recorded it is not possible to distinguish between costs relating to deportation matters and those relating to removal matters. The total legal aid expenditure for financial year 24/25 relating to deportation and removal matters is £1,007,833, which represents 0.05% of total legal aid expenditure in the same period. Advice and representation in connection with an appeal against deportation is not within the scope of services funded under Schedule, 1 Part 1 to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) unless the applicant is claiming asylum. This means many deportation cases would not be funded under legal aid. Where legal aid is available this would be subject to an assessment of the merits of the case and the individual’s financial eligibility for legal aid.

How many and what proportion of prisoners released under the early release scheme have subsequently been (a) rearrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted of other offences.

This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. We publish data on convictions as part of our reoffending rates which are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics.We have also published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics: Standard Determinate Sentence 40 (SDS40) : September 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK.The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on arrests or charges.

How much was spent on legal aid for asylum cases in each year since 2019.

Legal aid is available to fund legal advice and representation provided to individuals seeking asylum in England and Wales, subject to an assessment of merits and financial eligibility.The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) publishes information regarding the cost of legal aid provided in respect of asylum matters funded as Controlled Work. The information requested can be found at column G of table 5.3. Controlled Work covers the provision of legal advice regarding asylum matters and representation before the First Tier (Immigration and Asylum) Tribunal.The LAA also publishes information about the cost of Legal Representation pertaining to immigration and asylum matters (see table 6.5). However, due to the way in which this information is recorded on LAA systems expenditure specifically in relation to asylum cases could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

How many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted for social media posts in each of the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on arrests or charging decisions. This is a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences in England and Wales within the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics. However, data centrally held does not specify whether an offence relates to social media posts.

How many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

We can confirm that in March 2025 there were 292 employees within the Ministry of Justice & HM Prison and Probation Service who were receiving a total salary of £100,000 or more per year inclusive of allowances. Of these, 10 employees were receiving £166,000 or more per year.

What proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

Within financial year 2024-2025, the Ministry of Justice awarded 601 contracts to suppliers for provision of goods and services across the justice sector. 591 (98.3%) of these contracts were awarded to UK companies.Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier.

How many and what proportion of criminal trials were heard before a jury in each of the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information on the numbers and proportion of criminal trials heard before a jury. However, the vast majority of criminal cases are heard in the magistrates’ courts without juries – with 90% of all criminal cases being dealt with by magistrates. Of the remaining defendants that do progress to the Crown Court for trial, most plead guilty, meaning their cases do not go before a jury. Therefore, the most accurate proxy available for how many cases are heard by a jury in the Crown Court is the number of defendants who plead not guilty. The table below provides a breakdown of this data over the past five years:Defendants dealt with in trial cases disposed of in the Crown Court, 2020-2024 YearTotal number of defendantsPlea entered: GuiltyPlea entered: Not guiltyGuilty plea rate202050,35334,3417,40472%202163,88440,61312,06967%202261,19337,34011,96464%202370,91742,03914,83862%202476,65344,28815,63861%

How many civil cases tried in court had a jury in each of the last ten years, broken down by case type.

No central data is recorded on the numbers of juries convened for civil proceedings in England and Wales, nor the breakdown into types of case. Requests are passed to the jury summoning bureau as the need arises.The use of juries in civil cases is highly exceptional, and the most common examples where a civil jury may still be used would be for claims relating to false imprisonment or malicious prosecution.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trials by jury on levels of public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Sir Brian Leveson has published the first part of his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, setting out a number of recommendations on the use of jury trials in the Crown Court. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system and will remain in place for the most serious cases. However, we must consider bold action to tackle the rising backlog. There is evidence that significant delays undermine confidence in the system. Over 90% of criminal cases are heard without a jury and deliver swift justice. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response in the autumn.

What proportion of sex offenders serving a custodial sentence in prison are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality.

In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, we are unable to provide the requested information at this time, as doing so would disclose a subset of data which is currently intended for future publication by the Ministry of Justice.Data on the number of Foreign National Offenders in prison by offence group is due for publication on 31 July 2025 in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly.

What the average custodial sentence for people convicted of Islamist terror offences is.

Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. The series can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000.The numbers held in custody are shown on table P.01 of the annual and quarterly tables. As of 31 March 2025 (the most recent data available), 61% of terrorist prisoners were categorised as holding Islamist Extremist views.Given the sensitive nature of the information, further breakdowns are not published as they may undermine our national security efforts.Data on all terrorism-related offences is in the published series but not disaggregated by ideology. Table C.03 gives details on the numbers convicted for terrorism-related offences. Information on sentence length is included in table C.04, and the number released by sentence length is provided in table P.05.All terrorists are managed through a specialist, multi-agency case management process, which includes regular risk assessments and rehabilitative tools to identify, assess and manage an offender’s terrorist risk and needs, including any clear links to an extremist ideology. We have a range of interventions to address and reduce the drivers of radicalisation and move offenders away from harmful ideologies. Our interventions are carried out by qualified staff who receive specialist training. The tracking of religion relies on prisoners’ self-declaration.

What proportion of terrorism-related prisoners in the UK are linked to Islamist ideology.

Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. The series can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000.The numbers held in custody are shown on table P.01 of the annual and quarterly tables. As of 31 March 2025 (the most recent data available), 61% of terrorist prisoners were categorised as holding Islamist Extremist views.Given the sensitive nature of the information, further breakdowns are not published as they may undermine our national security efforts.Data on all terrorism-related offences is in the published series but not disaggregated by ideology. Table C.03 gives details on the numbers convicted for terrorism-related offences. Information on sentence length is included in table C.04, and the number released by sentence length is provided in table P.05.All terrorists are managed through a specialist, multi-agency case management process, which includes regular risk assessments and rehabilitative tools to identify, assess and manage an offender’s terrorist risk and needs, including any clear links to an extremist ideology. We have a range of interventions to address and reduce the drivers of radicalisation and move offenders away from harmful ideologies. Our interventions are carried out by qualified staff who receive specialist training. The tracking of religion relies on prisoners’ self-declaration.

How many people have been convicted under terrorism legislation for offences linked to Islamist extremism in the past five years.

Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. The series can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000.The numbers held in custody are shown on table P.01 of the annual and quarterly tables. As of 31 March 2025 (the most recent data available), 61% of terrorist prisoners were categorised as holding Islamist Extremist views.Given the sensitive nature of the information, further breakdowns are not published as they may undermine our national security efforts.Data on all terrorism-related offences is in the published series but not disaggregated by ideology. Table C.03 gives details on the numbers convicted for terrorism-related offences. Information on sentence length is included in table C.04, and the number released by sentence length is provided in table P.05.All terrorists are managed through a specialist, multi-agency case management process, which includes regular risk assessments and rehabilitative tools to identify, assess and manage an offender’s terrorist risk and needs, including any clear links to an extremist ideology. We have a range of interventions to address and reduce the drivers of radicalisation and move offenders away from harmful ideologies. Our interventions are carried out by qualified staff who receive specialist training. The tracking of religion relies on prisoners’ self-declaration.

Whether her Department tracks the (a) religious and (b) ideological motivations of terrorist offenders as part of offender rehabilitation and risk assessment.

Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. The series can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000.The numbers held in custody are shown on table P.01 of the annual and quarterly tables. As of 31 March 2025 (the most recent data available), 61% of terrorist prisoners were categorised as holding Islamist Extremist views.Given the sensitive nature of the information, further breakdowns are not published as they may undermine our national security efforts.Data on all terrorism-related offences is in the published series but not disaggregated by ideology. Table C.03 gives details on the numbers convicted for terrorism-related offences. Information on sentence length is included in table C.04, and the number released by sentence length is provided in table P.05.All terrorists are managed through a specialist, multi-agency case management process, which includes regular risk assessments and rehabilitative tools to identify, assess and manage an offender’s terrorist risk and needs, including any clear links to an extremist ideology. We have a range of interventions to address and reduce the drivers of radicalisation and move offenders away from harmful ideologies. Our interventions are carried out by qualified staff who receive specialist training. The tracking of religion relies on prisoners’ self-declaration.

How many people with previous convictions for Islamist terrorism offences have been released.

Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. The series can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000.The numbers held in custody are shown on table P.01 of the annual and quarterly tables. As of 31 March 2025 (the most recent data available), 61% of terrorist prisoners were categorised as holding Islamist Extremist views.Given the sensitive nature of the information, further breakdowns are not published as they may undermine our national security efforts.Data on all terrorism-related offences is in the published series but not disaggregated by ideology. Table C.03 gives details on the numbers convicted for terrorism-related offences. Information on sentence length is included in table C.04, and the number released by sentence length is provided in table P.05.All terrorists are managed through a specialist, multi-agency case management process, which includes regular risk assessments and rehabilitative tools to identify, assess and manage an offender’s terrorist risk and needs, including any clear links to an extremist ideology. We have a range of interventions to address and reduce the drivers of radicalisation and move offenders away from harmful ideologies. Our interventions are carried out by qualified staff who receive specialist training. The tracking of religion relies on prisoners’ self-declaration.

What proportion of food served in prisons is sourced from British farms; and what plans she has to encourage more prisons to buy British produce.

As at May 2025, 56.1% of food products sourced via the prisoner food contract and served in prisons is of British origin, however we do not hold a figure for farms specifically.The sourcing of products is managed through commercial food contracts which are based upon value for money and the quality of the product, with British produce being chosen wherever possible. We continue to review options to source from UK suppliers as part of standard procurement processes.

How many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.

The Ministry of Justice uses the term international remote working (IRW) to describe working remotely outside the UK. IRW is defined as when an employee wants to undertake the full responsibilities of their role remotely from abroad, for a short-term and fixed period. Employees may request to work their full responsibilities from abroad in exceptional circumstances e.g. supporting a family member overseas who needs urgent and immediate help, for a maximum of 30 calendar days in a rolling 12-month period.On 3 July 2025, the Ministry of Justice had 11 employees who had permission to work remotely outside the UK. These are for the following countries:British Virgin IslandsGermanyGreeceHungaryItalyLithuaniaNetherlandsPolandRepublic of IrelandUnited States of America

How much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.

Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

How much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and (B) its agencies in 2025.

The Ministry of Justice has a statutory duty to provide language services to enable access to justice for users for whom English is not their first language and those who require visual and tactile services, under the provisions of the Equality Act.Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.The total cost of translation and interpretation services in FY24/25 was £30,208,228.05, excluding British Sign Language and the Welsh language.To support the answer to part b, the below tables show the split per contract and per commissioning body for FY 24/25. These tables include interpretation and translation services only.Lot 1 Contract (Face to Face)Excludes: EnglishCommissioning Body Total FY 24/25 HM Courts and Tribunals Service£25,921,301.19The Probation Service£1,116,839.04Crown Prosecution Service£316,223.31Cafcass£241,885.26HM Prison Service£105,849.83Legal Aid Agency£77,950.08Office of the Public Guardian£3,510.95HM Inspectorate of Prisons£815.90Official Solicitor and Public Trustee£189.34Prisons and Probation Ombudsman£329.20Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority£50.65Total £27,784,944.75Translation & Transcription ContractExcludes Language pairs:English (United Kingdom) > Welsh (United Kingdom)Welsh (United Kingdom) > English (United Kingdom)English (United Kingdom) > English (United Kingdom)Commissioning Body Total FY 24/25 HM Prison Service£1,485,869.95Official Solicitor and Public Trustee£284,540.39The Probation Service£280,647.57Crown Prosecution Service£143,853.76Cafcass£116,820.56HM Courts and Tribunals Service£64,112.15Independent Monitoring Authority£6,057.43HQ£4,012.18Office of the Public Guardian£6,496.96Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority£1,095.89Prisons and Probation Ombudsman£24,431.67HMIPEW£3,479.31Independent Monitoring Board£270.13Legal Aid Agency£11.56Parole Board£1,382.34HM Inspectorate of Prisons£201.45Total £2,423,283.30

How many victims of grooming gangs have applied for compensation; and how many have been rejected.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) deeply sympathises with all victims of sexual crimes and recognises the trauma suffered by victims of these abhorrent offences.CICA cannot provide figures about compensation to victims of grooming gangs. This is because awards of compensation under the statutory Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme are made for the physical and/or mental injuries sustained by the victim rather than the type of offence committed.Each claim for compensation is considered on its own facts and decided using all the information available from the applicant, the police, and other relevant sources.