The Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill 2017-19 is a private member’s bill, sponsored by Maria Caulfield. It would create a new power for the Secretary of State to authorise public communications providers (for example mobile phone network operators) to interfere with wireless telegraphy to disrupt unlawful mobile phone use in prisons. This Briefing Paper discusses the background to and content of the Bill.
Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill 2017-19 (304 KB , PDF)
The Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill 2017-19 is a Private Member’s Bill, sponsored by Maria Caulfield (Conservative). It would create a new power for the Secretary of State to authorise public communications providers (for example mobile phone network operators) to interfere with wireless telegraphy to disrupt unlawful mobile phone use in prisons.
The provisions of this bill replicate those contained in the Prisons and Courts Bill 2016-17. That Bill fell at the dissolution of Parliament for the 2017 general election. The Government, referring to pressures on legislative time, has said that though there will be new bills to cover some aspects of the bill that was lost, the prisons aspects will not be included. Therefore, the Government is supporting this Private Member’s Bill to seek to ensure that these provisions, concerning the disruption of unlawful mobile phone use in prisons, are passed into legislation.
The Explanatory Notes to the Bill have been prepared by the Ministry of Justice with the consent of Maria Caulfield.
Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill 2017-19 (304 KB , PDF)
On Wednesday 25 June 2025, there will be an Estimates Day debate on the spending of the Ministry of Justice. This debate pack contains details of the latest estimates and previous expenditure, background material, and suggestions for further reading.
There will be a Westminster Hall debate on tackling extremism in prisons at 2:30pm on 17 June 2025. The debate will be opened by Jack Rankin MP.
The bill would prevent sentencing guidelines from referring to personal characteristics such as race, religion or belief, and cultural background in their guidance regarding when a pre-sentence report should be requested.
