The press notice entitled “Extra funding for organisations that steer women away from crime” published by the Ministry of Justice in January 2021 announced that 38 organisations would receive almost £2 million funding. In the following financial year (2021/22), a further £2.5 million was distributed to women’s community sector organisations, bringing total investment in the sector to £9.5 million since the publication of the Female Offender Strategy in June 2018. This month, we announced further funding of up to £24 million to support vulnerable women in or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system to tackle the root causes of crime. This significant investment covers the period 2022/23 to 2024/25 and will help women with the support they need. We have not settled funding plans beyond 2024/25. We are delivering new facilities in the women’s prison estate and expect the first prisoners to arrive in the new accommodation in 2025, with programme completion estimated by the end of 2025. The programme will deliver new open facilities that provide a bridge between custody and return to the community and offer increased opportunities for work, education and resettlement activities, to help reduce reoffending. The overall cost of the programme is currently commercially sensitive as we look to bring a contractor onboard for the design stage of the contract, expected in November this year.