To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether possession of Gender Recognition Certificates affects prison placement decisions for offenders convicted of (a) stalking and (b) harassment; and whether this was a factor in the placement of Vivienne Tayl
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to review the Prison Service Instruction governing the management of transgender prisoners.
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many transgender prisoners are held in women’s prisons; and how many of these individuals have convictions for (a) violent, (b) sexual and (c) stalking offences.
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Whatsapps messages on 10 Downing Street official iPhones are automatically backed up to a cloud or central server.
Cabinet Office
There is established guidance on the management and recording of electronic communications on non-corporate channels. We keep all guidance around the use of non-corporate communications under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has produced guidance on whether the payment rules set out under Procurement Act 2025 will apply to Strategic Partners participating in the Affordable Homes Programme.
Cabinet Office
The UK government’s prompt payment policy aims to support UK economic growth and suppliers, including small and medium sized enterprises. The Procurement Act 2023 mandates 30 day payment terms into all public contracts. Where the Affordable Homes Programm...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguarding measures are in place to protect female prisoners from transgender offenders who present a risk due to (a) mental-health conditions, (b) obsessive behaviour and (c) previous offending patterns.
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria are used when determining whether a transgender offender with a history of (a) violent, (b) sexual and (c) stalking behaviour may be placed in a women’s prison.
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many transgender prisoners are held in specialist units on the (a) male and (b) female estate; and what criteria determine those placements.
Ministry of Justice
Transgender women who cannot be held safely in the male or female estate can be placed on E Wing, where this is approved by a multi-disciplinary panel of officials. E Wing is a separate unit for transgender women at HMP & YOI Downview: it is not part ...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many safeguarding alerts have been recorded in the last five years involving transgender prisoners placed in the women’s estate.
Ministry of Justice
We have interpreted these Parliamentary Questions as relating to transgender women in the prison estate.Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of sexual or violent offences – including individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate –...
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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is committed to supporting British farmers and the vital role they play. In England, the Government will continue to invest in our farmers and land managers to make their businesses, food production and our country more sustainable and resi...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to The Universal Credit (Earned Income) Amendment Regulations 2020, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of moving double-paydays to subsequent assessment perio
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department recognises that receiving two sets of earnings from the same employer within a single Universal Credit assessment period can create unexpected fluctuations in a claimant’s award. This situation typically occurs when a claimant’s monthly pay...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to give a detailed description of how procurement of the contract for the Federated Data Platform (FDP), after the current contract ending date of 15/02/2027, will proceed, including timeline, whet
Department of Health and Social Care
The current contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform is for seven years, ending in 2030, with break clauses at three years, two years, and one year. No decisions have been made about any procurement after then end of the contract. The contact is publi...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Probation Service's current workload on processing casework; and what steps his Department is taking to support recruitment and retention, and sta
Ministry of Justice
The Probation Service continues to face capacity and workload pressures. The Probation Service uses management information to support local and national oversight of workloads.The Government recognises the pressures created by increased demand and is dete...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many stab vests have been issued to prison officers since 5 July 2024, broken down by individual prison.
Ministry of Justice
Following a serious incident at HMP Frankland in April 2025, the Department acted quickly to review the use of protective body armour (PBA) across the estate. As a result, we have introduced a significant expansion in provision, with PBA now mandated for ...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many weapons have been confiscated by prison officers since 5 July 2024, broken down by individual prison.
Ministry of Justice
As data on the distinct number of weapons confiscated is not held centrally, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.Statistics on the number of incidents of weapon finds in prison, which could include multiple weapons pe...
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Ministry of Justice
His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) has a unique opportunity, across prisons, probation and the Youth Custody Service, to help people turn their lives around. To do this successfully, it is important to ensure that the best conditions are...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many religious chaplaincies have permitted the Islamic Human Rights Commission to send religious materials to prisons in England and Wales.
Ministry of Justice
Decisions on whether any external materials may be provided are taken by individual establishments. They are subject to governor approval, national policy on faith and pastoral care, security requirements, and extremism safeguards. All proposed materials ...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) chaplains, (b) rabbis, (c) imams, (d) other religious ministers have been attached to each prison in England and Wales in each year since 2010.
Ministry of Justice
His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) recognises that faith and belief can support rehabilitation and may act as a protective factor in reducing re-offending.The statutory duties of prison chaplains are set out in the Prison Act 1952 and refl...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the organisations authorised to send religious and welfare packs to prisons in England and Wales for (a) Ramadan and (b) Eid.
Ministry of Justice
Decisions on whether any external materials may be provided are taken by individual establishments. They are subject to governor approval, national policy on faith and pastoral care, security requirements, and extremism safeguards. All proposed materials ...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the International Student Levy on the UK’s ability to attract international postgraduate research students and the consequential impact this would have on
Department for Education
Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and are responsible for managing their own finances, including any impact from the International Student Levy (ISL). To support providers’ financial planning, the levy will be introduced in 2...
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Ministry of Justice
Effective prison security is a prerequisite for the safe and stable regimes required to promote prisoner rehabilitation, and sufficient levels of skilled frontline staff are fundamental to delivering secure and rehabilitative prison regimes. Against a cha...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the estimated capital cost for a new prison place in England and Wales, broken down into categories A, B, C and D.
Ministry of Justice
As set out in the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, we are committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and aim to do so by 2031. Our build programme consists of the construction of four new prisons, including HMP Millsike, as well as the ex...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department has made on plans for the redevelopment of the former Camp Hill prison site on the Isle of Wight, including its sports facilities.
Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is currently evaluating all potential options for the site and is maintaining engagement with the local authority to explore appropriate future uses for both the site and the sports pitch once it is designated as surplus to operati...
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the international student levy on university incomes.
Department for Education
The International Student Levy will require higher education (HE) providers to pay a flat fee of £925 per international student per year. An impact analysis of the levy published in November 2025 estimated the income losses to the HE sector from the levy ...
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