AQW 46438/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 18/05/2026
Answered On Date: 27/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail (i) the total number of women committed to custody, in each of the last five years; and (ii) any trends identified over that period.

Answer:

The following table details (i) the total number of individual females committed to Northern Ireland prison custody, in each of the last five years.

Year	Females Committed
2021	222
2022	253
2023	290
2024	319
2025	321

Source: PRISM – Management Information

Notes: 1. Figures are snapshot data and are correct as at midnight on the dates shown.

2. Individuals committed more than once within a year are counted once for that year. Individuals committed in multiple years are counted once in each year of committal.

(ii) Trends indicate a year-on-year increase in the number of individual females committed to Northern Ireland prison custody over the last five years, with a marginal increase between 2024 and 2025. Overall, there was an increase of 45% between 2021 and 2025.