The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 1st July 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what proportion of women being held on remand are remanded for their own protection; and what assessment they have made of the reasons why they are being remanded for their own protection.
Lord Timpson (Lab, MoJ): There is no centrally collated statistical data available on the number of women currently remanded in custody for their own protection under the Bail Act 1976, or the court’s justification for the decision to remand an individual for their own protection.
The court’s decision to remand an individual in custody for their own protection is used as a last resort and out of concern for the defendant, where circumstances are such that a defendant would come to harm if released into the community and there is no other suitable option available to the courts.
The Mental Health Act received Royal Assent in December 2025. It includes a reform to end the use of remand for own protection under the Bail Act where the court’s sole concern is the defendant’s mental health. The reform will commence by regulation when we are confident it is safe to do so. In advance of implementation, we are working with partners to collect data on cases where concerns around mental health are the only reason this power is used.
The Church of England in Parliament 