To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the (a) extent of use and (b) effectiveness of mindfulness therapy in prisons.

We are aware of the developing empirical literature on the impact of mindfulness therapy and its potential, for instance, in improving emotional regulation. It is an emerging area of psychological therapy that as yet, does not have a large evidence base in the forensic field.

NOMS has not assessed the extent of mindfulness therapy in prison interventions. There are a range of interventions available in prison., many of which will be provided through partnership arrangements with other providers. Our data systems do not allow for identification of the techniques on which those interventions are based.

Some NOMS accredited interventions do incorporate a mindfulness based approach, although this is a relatively new innovation. As such, mindfulness therapy will contribute to the effectiveness of these interventions but it is not possible to assess its impact in isolation since it is delivered as part of an integrated package.

There are currently no published reports relating to NOMS pilot projects that make specific reference to the effectiveness of the use of mindfulness, or mindfulness-based techniques.