Oral QuestionMinistry of Justice

“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”

Tabled: 4 November 2026Answered: 10 November 2026

Asked by

Patrick Hurley

Labour — Southport

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Justice

Answer from Hansard

The Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending (Catherine McKinnell)

We are making good progress. Around 3,300 places out of our target of 14,000 have been delivered since we took office, including a 170-place refurbished wing at HMP Norwich, which opened in June this year, bringing these places into the 21st century. We are also bringing forward £110 million from existing budgets to deliver additional prison places even faster. We are determined to clean up the mess that the previous Government left us and to build a criminal justice system that is fit for today.