Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending

The Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending (or simply Prisons Minister) is a mid-level ministerial office in the Ministry of Justice.[1]

Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending
since 5 July 2024
Ministry of Justice
SeatWestminster, London
AppointerThe Monarch
on the advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Websitewww.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--147

On 5 July 2024 James Timpson was appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Responsibilities

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The minister currently has responsibility of the following policy areas:[2]

  • Prison operations, policy, reform and industrial relations
  • Probation policy and operations
  • Youth justice
  • Parole
  • Offender health
  • Offender Cohorts
  • Extremism
  • Home Detention Curfew (HDC)
  • Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) schemes
  • Drugs
  • Reducing reoffending
  • Female offenders
  • Foreign National Offenders

The minister also provides support on Global Britain and the promotion of legal services.

List of ministers for prisons

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Name Portrait Took office Left office Political party Prime Minister
Position created out of Minister of State for Home Affairs
Minister of State for Prisons
Ann Widdecombe
MP for Maidstone
  28 February 1995 2 May 1997 Conservative John Major
(ll)
Joyce Quin
MP for Gateshead East and Washington West
  2 May 1997 28 July 1998 Labour Tony Blair
(I)
The Lord Williams of Mostyn 28 July 1998 28 July 1999
Charles Clarke
MP for Norwich South
  July 1999 June 2001
Keith Bradley
MP for Manchester, Withington
  June 2001 May 2002 Tony Blair
(II)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Probation
Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds Central
  29 May 2002 13 May 2003 Labour Tony Blair
(II)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Criminal Justice, Race and Victims
Fiona Mactaggart
MP for Slough
  13 June 2003 5 May 2006 Labour Tony Blair
(II+III)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Probation Services
Gerry Sutcliffe
MP for Bradford South
  5 May 2006 29 June 2007 Labour Tony Blair
(III)
Minister of State for Justice and Equalities
Maria Eagle
MP for Liverpool Garston
  2 July 2007 6 May 2010 Labour Gordon Brown
(I)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Youth Justice
Crispin Blunt
MP for Reigate, Surrey
  6 May 2010 4 September 2012 Conservative David Cameron
(Coalition)
Jeremy Wright
MP for Kenilworth and Southam
  6 September 2012 15 July 2014
Andrew Selous

MP for South West Bedfordshire

  16 July 2014 16 July 2016
David Cameron
(II)
Sam Gyimah
MP for East Surrey
  17 July 2016 9 January 2018 Theresa May

(I)

Theresa May
(II)
Minister of State for Prisons
Rory Stewart
MP for Penrith and The Border
  9 January 2018 1 May 2019 Conservative Theresa May
(II)
Robert Buckland
MP for South Swindon
  9 May 2019 24 July 2019
Minister of State for Prisons and Probation
Lucy Frazer
MP for South East Cambridgeshire
  25 July 2019 4 March 2021 Conservative Boris Johnson
(I)
Boris Johnson
(II)
Alex Chalk
MP for Cheltenham
  4 March 2021 10 September 2021
Lucy Frazer
MP for South East Cambridgeshire
  10 September 2021 16 September 2021
Victoria Atkins
MP for Louth and Horncastle
  16 September 2021 6 July 2022
Stuart Andrew
MP for Pudsey
  8 July 2022 7 September 2022
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Probation
Rob Butler
MP for Aylesbury
  20 September 2022 27 October 2022 Conservative Liz Truss
(I)
Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation
Damian Hinds
MP for East Hampshire
  27 October 2022 13 November 2023 Conservative Rishi Sunak
(I)
Edward Argar
MP for Charnwood
  14 November 2023 5 July 2024
Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending
The Lord Timpson
Member of the House of Lords
  5 July 2024 Incumbent Labour Keir Starmer
(I)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Minister of State – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Minister of State – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2023.