Written questions by Paul.

What information his Department holds on whether any female prisoners held at HMP Downview have been sexually assaulted by biological male prisoners.

Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP & YOI Downview. They may only access the regime of the wider prison if risk assessed as being safe to do so, and under the supervision of prison staff.Transgender prisoners at all prisons are subject to local risk management arrangements. These are determined by the establishment and take into account risks that may be posed by the prisoner and risks they may face from other prisoners. Since policy was strengthened in 2019, there have been no sexual assaults committed by transgender women in women’s prisons.With regard to the changes to supervision noted in the Independent Monitoring Board’s Annual Report: E wing prisoners continue to be subject to supervision at all times. Following individual risk assessments carried out by the prison, it was determined that additional prison officer supervision was not necessary to manage risk in each case.In contrast with the adult estate, the Children and Young People Estate includes mixed gender settings. Placement decisions are based on the young person’s identified needs and the risks they may present to themselves and others at the time of placement. Young people who have been identified as transgender will normally be placed in a mixed gender setting, where staff are skilled at safeguarding and supervising boys and girls in the same establishment. If a transgender young person identifying as a girl were assessed as being too high risk for management in a mixed gender setting, that young person would be placed in a male-only part of the estate, where their transgender needs would be supported. A transgender young person identifying as a boy would only be placed in a mixed gender site, not in a male-only establishment.A review of transgender prisoner policy in the light of the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd vs. The Scottish Ministers is in progress.

With reference to the Independent Monitoring Board's report entitled Annual report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Downview, published on 3 September 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure acutely mentally unwell prisoners are swiftly (a) identified and (b) given care in an appropriate facility at (a) HMP/YOI Downview, (b) other prisons and (c) other young offenders institutions.

NHS England commissions prison health care services for HMP/YOI Downview and every other prison and young offenders institution in England. Every prison has onsite health care services including primary care, mental health, dentistry, and substance misuse teams. The National Service Specification for integrated mental health sets out how patients within secure settings, who require support for their mental wellbeing, should receive the same level of healthcare as people in the community, both in terms of the range of interventions available to them, in order to meet their needs, and the quality and standards of those interventions. This includes access to crisis intervention and crisis prevention for those at high risk of self-harm and suicide, where such behaviours relate to poor emotional wellbeing and/or minor psychiatric morbidity. Access to mental health provision is available to every person in prison at any stage of their sentence, beginning at the point of entry. NHS England commissions first night reception screening to have a registered nurse/practitioner review patients’ medical history to address any immediate health needs and risks and to ensure medication is made available as soon as possible and that onward referrals to onsite healthcare teams, including mental health services, for both urgent face to face appointments, within 24 hours, and routine face to face appointments, within five working days, are made. Outside of reception screening, people in prison can be referred or can self-refer to mental health services, within those timeframes. When someone is acutely unwell, they can be transferred from prisons and other places of detention to hospital for treatment, under the Mental Health Act, within the target transfer period of 28 days. The Mental Health Bill, currently going through Parliament, introduces a statutory 28-day time limit within which agencies must seek to ensure individuals who meet the criteria for detention under the act are transferred to hospital for treatment. NHS England’s South East Health and Justice team is funding a transfer and remissions co-ordinator from January 2025, to improve, where possible, safe, effective, and efficient transfers to hospital level treatment and interventions. NHS England is reviewing the National Integrated Prison Service Specification to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the prison population.

Whether his Department plans to provide additional support for women who face additional prescription costs due to (a) menorrhagia and (b) other menstrual issues caused by (i) miscarriage and (ii) other significant traumas.

There are no plans to review the support available to women facing these issues.A maternity exemption certificate can be applied for as soon as a healthcare professional has confirmed that the patient is pregnant or has given birth, including still-birth, in the previous twelve months, and this provides exemption from prescription costs until 12 months after the due date. The certificate remains valid if the patient has a miscarriage. The certificate is automatically backdated one month from the date the application is received by the NHS Business Services Authority.If a patient is not entitled to the maternity exemption, they can purchase a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC), which allows them to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost. A three-monthly PPC, costing £32.05, or an annual PPC, costing £114.50, will save people money if they need four or more items in three months or 12 or more items in 12 months. To help spread the cost, people can pay for an annual PPC by ten monthly direct debits. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just over £2 per week.Approximately 40% of the population are currently liable to pay the prescription charge though approximately 89% of the items dispensed in the community are dispensed free of charge.

With reference to the Policy Exchange report entitled In absentia parentis, published on 24 August 2025, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities have up-to-date safeguarding policies for gender-questioning children who are children in care.

Local authorities and social care practitioners are required to support children in a way that meets their needs and best interests. This support will look different on an individual case basis. In considering their safeguarding policies and how best to support children questioning their gender, leaders and practitioners should be led by the guidance and regulations most relevant to their setting or role. They can also be informed by the evidence and principles set out in the Cass Review. Further resources on support for children questioning their gender can be found via the NHS here: https://www.genderreferralservice.nhs.uk/.

With reference to the Policy Exchange report entitled In absentia parentis, published on 24 August 2025, the Cass Review's final report, published in April 2024, and the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities to protect the welfare of gender-questioning children who are children in care.

Local authorities and social care practitioners are required to support children in a way that meets their needs and best interests. This support will look different on an individual case basis. In considering their safeguarding policies and how best to support children questioning their gender, leaders and practitioners should be led by the guidance and regulations most relevant to their setting or role. They can also be informed by the evidence and principles set out in the Cass Review. Further resources on support for children questioning their gender can be found via the NHS here: https://www.genderreferralservice.nhs.uk/.

On how many occasions in the last 24 months have prisoners at HMP Downview left the secure perimeter without formal authorisation.

There has been one instance in the last 24 months of a prisoner at HMP/YOI Downview leaving the secure perimeter without formal authorisation. Swift action was taken by other staff to correct the breach.The Prison Group Director has commissioned an investigation into the breach, and an immediate assessment of risks has been undertaken pending the outcome of the investigation.Once the investigation is complete, action will be taken based on the findings.

If his Department will take steps to review systems of prisoner management in place at HMP Downview in the context of the security breach involving an unauthorised prisoner departure in October 2025.

There has been one instance in the last 24 months of a prisoner at HMP/YOI Downview leaving the secure perimeter without formal authorisation. Swift action was taken by other staff to correct the breach.The Prison Group Director has commissioned an investigation into the breach, and an immediate assessment of risks has been undertaken pending the outcome of the investigation.Once the investigation is complete, action will be taken based on the findings.

Whether the security breach in October 2025 involving an unauthorised prisoner departure at HMP Downview involved a prisoner housed in the prison’s E Wing.

The incident referred to did not involve a prisoner on E Wing, and does not affect the management of the unit.

What assessment his Department has made of whether HMP Downview is capable of effectively keeping the female prisoners safe from the biological male prisoners sharing the same facilities and services, in the context of the security breach involving an unauthorised prisoner departure in October 2025.

The incident referred to did not involve a prisoner on E Wing, and does not affect the management of the unit.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of staff training and management at HMP Downview, in the context of the security breach involving an unauthorised prisoner departure in October 2025.

There has been one instance in the last 24 months of a prisoner at HMP/YOI Downview leaving the secure perimeter without formal authorisation. Swift action was taken by other staff to correct the breach.The Prison Group Director has commissioned an investigation into the breach, and an immediate assessment of risks has been undertaken pending the outcome of the investigation.Once the investigation is complete, action will be taken based on the findings.

What information his Department holds on the status of the proposed PATHWAYS clinical trial.

Better quality evidence is critical if the NHS is to support young people suffering from gender incongruence, so we are supporting a programme of research, recommended by the Cass Review, including the PATHWAYS study. The health and wellbeing of the children and young people involved is our primary concern.Ethical and regulatory approvals have been received for the observational element of the study. Approval processes and site set-up are well underway for the clinical trial and we will provide an update when the study moves to the next stage.

What recent steps her Department has taken to ensure the security of data submitted by third parties in support of visa applications.

UK Visa and Immigration’s commercial partners provide administrative services on behalf of the UK Government to support in processing visa applications. The UK Government visa decision making systems are entirely separate from commercial partner solutions.Information provided by visa customers in support of their application is captured by UKVI’s commercial partner, and this information is encrypted and securely transmitted to UKVI and subsequently deleted from commercial partner systems.UKVI works closely with its partners to ensure security of personal data and that this is handled in line with UK data protection requirements. UKVI’s Commercial Partners are certified to ISO 27001:2022 and accredited with UKVI Cyber Essentials Plus, ensuring compliance with the highest benchmarks for information protection. UKVI also ensure that its Commercial Partners undertake periodic third-party assessments to provide independent assurance on the security measures implemented.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendations on surrogacy in the report by the UN Special Rapporteur for Violence Against Women and Girls entitled Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences: The different manifestations of violence against women and girls in the context of surrogacy, published on 14 July 2025.

The UN Special Rapporteur’s report is framed within the context of Violence Against Women and Girls and recommends banning surrogacy in all forms.The United Kingdom Government supports surrogacy as an option for family formation, for people unable to carry their own children. For this option, we recommend the use of UK not-for-profit surrogacy organisations.For those considering surrogacy overseas, we recommend taking specialist legal advice and consulting the advice published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surrogacy-overseas/surrogacy-overseas

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63903 on HMP High Down and HMP/YOI Downview: Crimes of Violence, how many of the prisoner on prisoner assaults recorded in 2023 at HMP Downview were committed by biological male prisoners.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 62457 on HMP/YOI Downview, whether funding of E Wing at HMP Downview comes out of the (a) women's and (b) men's estate budget.

As of 1 August 2025, five biologically male prisoners were held at HMP/YOI Downview. All were accommodated on E Wing. Since 4 July 2024, seven prisoners have been placed in the unit. No prisoners have moved from E Wing into the general women's estate under the current Government.E Wing is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview and can only access the wider prison's regime where this is supervised by staff and has been risk-assessed to ensure safety.HMPPS's budget allocation process does not distinguish between the men’s and women's estates. Decisions on the overall level of funding for each prison are made by Area Executive Directors.The following link provides the latest available information on annual cost per prisoner, by establishment: costs-per-prison-place-prisoner-individual-prison-2023-24.ods.Data on the annual cost of accommodating a prisoner in particular locations within an establishment are not held.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63903 on HMP High Down and HMP/YOI Downview: Crimes of Violence, how many of the prisoner on prisoner assaults recorded in 2024 at HMP Downview were committed by biological male prisoners.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62454 on HMP/YOI Downview, whether E Wing at HMP Downview is part of the women's estate.

As of 1 August 2025, five biologically male prisoners were held at HMP/YOI Downview. All were accommodated on E Wing. Since 4 July 2024, seven prisoners have been placed in the unit. No prisoners have moved from E Wing into the general women's estate under the current Government.E Wing is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview and can only access the wider prison's regime where this is supervised by staff and has been risk-assessed to ensure safety.HMPPS's budget allocation process does not distinguish between the men’s and women's estates. Decisions on the overall level of funding for each prison are made by Area Executive Directors.The following link provides the latest available information on annual cost per prisoner, by establishment: costs-per-prison-place-prisoner-individual-prison-2023-24.ods.Data on the annual cost of accommodating a prisoner in particular locations within an establishment are not held.

What the annual cost to the public purse is of housing a prisoner in (a) E Wing of HMP Downview and (b) the general women's estate within HMP Downview.

As of 1 August 2025, five biologically male prisoners were held at HMP/YOI Downview. All were accommodated on E Wing. Since 4 July 2024, seven prisoners have been placed in the unit. No prisoners have moved from E Wing into the general women's estate under the current Government.E Wing is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview and can only access the wider prison's regime where this is supervised by staff and has been risk-assessed to ensure safety.HMPPS's budget allocation process does not distinguish between the men’s and women's estates. Decisions on the overall level of funding for each prison are made by Area Executive Directors.The following link provides the latest available information on annual cost per prisoner, by establishment: costs-per-prison-place-prisoner-individual-prison-2023-24.ods.Data on the annual cost of accommodating a prisoner in particular locations within an establishment are not held.

How many biological males were held in HMP Downview as of 1 August 2025.

As of 1 August 2025, five biologically male prisoners were held at HMP/YOI Downview. All were accommodated on E Wing. Since 4 July 2024, seven prisoners have been placed in the unit. No prisoners have moved from E Wing into the general women's estate under the current Government.E Wing is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview and can only access the wider prison's regime where this is supervised by staff and has been risk-assessed to ensure safety.HMPPS's budget allocation process does not distinguish between the men’s and women's estates. Decisions on the overall level of funding for each prison are made by Area Executive Directors.The following link provides the latest available information on annual cost per prisoner, by establishment: costs-per-prison-place-prisoner-individual-prison-2023-24.ods.Data on the annual cost of accommodating a prisoner in particular locations within an establishment are not held.

How many biological males have been placed in E Wing of HMP Downview since 4 July 2024.

As of 1 August 2025, five biologically male prisoners were held at HMP/YOI Downview. All were accommodated on E Wing. Since 4 July 2024, seven prisoners have been placed in the unit. No prisoners have moved from E Wing into the general women's estate under the current Government.E Wing is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are held separately from other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview and can only access the wider prison's regime where this is supervised by staff and has been risk-assessed to ensure safety.HMPPS's budget allocation process does not distinguish between the men’s and women's estates. Decisions on the overall level of funding for each prison are made by Area Executive Directors.The following link provides the latest available information on annual cost per prisoner, by establishment: costs-per-prison-place-prisoner-individual-prison-2023-24.ods.Data on the annual cost of accommodating a prisoner in particular locations within an establishment are not held.