Sarah Pochin MP: written questions
498 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Prisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drug related incidents were recorded in prisons in each of the past five years, including instances of possession, supply and related violence.
Answer: We publish the number of drugs finds in prisons in England and Wales in the HMPPS Annual Digest. Please see table 6.1 in the Finds tables and the Finds in Prison – Find Incidents data tool. The latest issue covers the 12-month period to March 2025, with a...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98299More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prisoners tested positive for illegal drugs on arrival and during their time in custody in the latest period for which data is available.
Answer: We recognise that the availability and use of drugs in prisons is too high. Tackling this is a priority in order to reduce reoffending, and improve the safety of our prisons. To drive down supply of drugs, we are investing over £40 million in physical sec...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent trends in the availability and use of illegal drugs within the prison estate.
Answer: We recognise that the availability and use of drugs in prisons is too high. Tackling this is a priority in order to reduce reoffending, and improve the safety of our prisons. To drive down supply of drugs, we are investing over £40 million in physical sec...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98296More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of the scale of erroneous prisoner releases on public confidence and public safety.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctl...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to prevent mistaken releases of prisoners; and whether he plans to (a) allocate additional resource for and (b) implement systemic reforms to prisoner-release protocols.
Answer: Releases in error are never acceptable, and we are bearing down on those errors that do occur.Following the release in error of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate steps to make the processes that take place when a ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: Crimes of Violence and Sexual OffencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the prisoners mistakenly released since April 2025 were convicted of violent, sexual or other serious offences; and what assessment he has made of the danger to the public posed by those still at larg
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctl...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) oversight of prison release date calculations.
Answer: On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address issues including release in error and unlawful detention. This includes the establishment of an Urgent Warrant Query Unit supported by court ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to early release schemes on the accuracy of release date calculations.
Answer: On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address issues including release in error and unlawful detention. This includes the establishment of an Urgent Warrant Query Unit supported by court ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects the investigation into releases in error led by Dame Lynne Owens to be (a) completed and (b) published.
Answer: Dame Lynne Owens will have completed her independent investigation and be reporting to the Deputy Prime Minister on all her findings by the end of February. We will continue to approach the issue of releases in error with an emphasis on transparency.
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the investigation into releases in error led by Dame Lynne Owens has reported any interim findings.
Answer: Dame Lynne Owens will have completed her independent investigation and be reporting to the Deputy Prime Minister on all her findings by the end of February. We will continue to approach the issue of releases in error with an emphasis on transparency.
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were held beyond their lawful release dates but did not submit claims for compensation.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHMP Pentonville: Prisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons regarding release date errors at HMP Pentonville.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected and o...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of staff shortages in offender management units on errors in calculating prisoners release dates.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctl...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of prisoners who are held in custody beyond their lawful release dates.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average sum of compensation paid per day is to prisoners who have been held in custody beyond their lawful release dates.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were held in custody beyond their lawful release dates in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the total compensation paid was.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were held in custody beyond their lawful release dates in each of the past ten years; and what the total amount of compensation paid was in each year.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of prisoners kept in custody beyond their lawful release dates over the past ten years.
Answer: Release inaccuracy is yet 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 errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detenti...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPuberty Suppressing Hormones: Clinical TrialsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received legal advice on the PATHWAYS trial.
Answer: The healthcare of children, like all patients, deserves evidence-based treatments where possible. That is why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a programme of research to support the National Health Service to p...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: Greater ManchesterHome OfficeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussion she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the estimate of the number of grooming gangs operating in Manchester.
Answer: Baroness Casey’s rapid national audit into group-based child sexual exploitation set out stark findings on the scale and nature of grooming gang offending. This government is absolutely committed to exposing the failures that have happened across the coun...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: LiverpoolHome OfficeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussion she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the estimate of the number of grooming gangs operating in Liverpool.
Answer: Baroness Casey’s rapid national audit into group-based child sexual exploitation set out stark findings on the scale and nature of grooming gang offending. This government is absolutely committed to exposing the failures that have happened across the coun...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: Greater LondonHome OfficeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many grooming gangs her Department is aware of operating in London.
Answer: Baroness Casey’s rapid national audit into group-based child sexual exploitation set out stark findings on the scale and nature of grooming gang offending. This government is absolutely committed to exposing the failures that have happened across the coun...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPuberty Suppressing Hormones: Clinical TrialsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97476More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria will be used to decide whether PATHWAYS trial participants are offered cross sex hormones at the end of the study.
Answer: Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a programme of research to support the National Health Service to provide the best support to children and young pe...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPuberty Suppressing HormonesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97475More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of puberty suppression on levels of likelihood of progression to cross sex hormones.
Answer: The Cass Review recommended that there is a need to build a more robust evidence base for the use of puberty suppressing hormones as a response to gender dysphoria in childhood, through a carefully considered research programme. The PATHWAYS Trial Study h...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPuberty Suppressing Hormones: Clinical TrialsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97474More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of completing the Data Linkage Study to help inform safe PATHWAYS trial design.
Answer: Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a programme of research to support the National Health Service to provide the best support to children and young pe...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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