Prison Conditions

10 Dec 2024

Question

Prison Conditions

Hansard

ANALYSIS \n-----------\nThe recent House of Commons debate on 'Prison Conditions' focused on the pressing issue of inadequate conditions within current prison estates, drug prevalence, and the need for new infrastructure to meet modern standards. Here is an in-depth analysis reflecting the structured organization of this parliamentary session.\n\nDebate Structure and Content:\n - Primary Inquiry: The initial question raised by Bobby Dean was about the overall assessment of prison conditions and the governmental response to these challenges.\n - Follow-up Issues: Further contributions touched upon inhumane conditions, rehabilitation support, and healthcare denial in prisons, focusing primarily on reports and experiences from HMP Coldingley, as highlighted by a constituent's traumatic personal account.\n\nPolicy Terms and Technical Terminology:\n - Prison estate management\n - Rehabilitation and reintegration\n - Inmate healthcare system\n - Prison and Probation Service\n\nNamed Entities:\n - Ministry of Justice: Ensures implementation of prison maintenance and fund allocation.\n - Members of Parliament (MPs): Bobby Dean, Sir Nicholas Dakin, Andy Slaughter, among others contribute significantly to this debate.\n - HMP Coldingley: Specific prison highlighted within the context of deplorable conditions.\n\nNumerical Data and Statistics:\n - Investment Figures: $220 million (2024-25) and up to $300 million (2025-26) allocated for maintenance.\n - Cell Loss: Reference to 4,000 cells becoming unserviceable due to prior government neglect.\n\nParliamentary Business and Related Procedures:\n - Justice Committee Engagement: Active participation from its chair reflects continued scrutiny into prison affairs.\n\nPolitical Positions and Policy Stances:\n - Liberal Democrats' Plea: Emphasized immediate response to dire conditions.\n - Labour's Critique: Pushback regarding inherited crises, with an emphasis on systemic reform focusing on Victorian prison conditions.\n\nKeywords for Search and Contextual Understanding: \n - Prison Reform Act\n - Inmate Healthcare Denial\n - Prison Maintenance Budget\n\nGovernmental Bodies Referenced:\n - Justice Ministry: Secondary actor within the management and future planning of estate conditions.\n\nKey Dates and Timeframes:\n - Ongoing and Planned Investment: Highlighting funding commitments planned for fiscal periods 2024-2026.\n\nCross-references to Related Parliamentary Business: \n - New Prison Developments: Presence of architectural and operational challenges, especially Victorian structures.\n\n2. SPEAKER POINTS \n----------------------------\n### Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrats) - Carshalton and Wallington\n- Main Concern: Questioned government assessment on prison conditions and highlighted specific deteriorations at HMP Coldingley.\n- Key Statements: Cited a direct account from a constituent prisoner suffering from psychological distress due to current conditions.\n- Keyword Usage: Inhuman, crisis, rehabilitation.\n- Position: Advocated for humane prison environments as standard practice.\n\n### Sir Nicholas Dakin (Labour) - Scunthorpe\n- Role: Standing in for government accountability.\n- Key Assertions: Acknowledged the inherited prison crisis and offered an open channel for direct constituent complaint resolution.\n- Terminology: Crisis management.\n- Position: Favored resolution via communication channels and increasing infrastructure capabilities.\n\n### Andy Slaughter (Labour) - Hammersmith and Chiswick\n- Argumentative Focus: Demanded consideration for prisoner welfare, covering training, education, and health facilities in new prison plans.\n- Keywords: Human warehouse, rehabilitation.\n- Stance: Advocated for prison transformation to enable rehabilitation chances, enhancing post-release transitions.\n\n### Notable Non-Contributions:\n- Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker) merely facilitated the debate, maintaining order without delving into politicking. \n \nThis analysis culminates as an accessible database for academics, stakeholders, and political observers to glean insights into current political movements affecting prison conditions and policy debates. The inclusion of structured speaker points offers depth, rendering the analysis both informative and a tool for future legislative review.

Key Contributions

Original Transcript

Bobby Dean

Carshalton and Wallington

Question

UIN: 901718

2. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of prisons.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

Sir Nicholas Dakin

The prison estate conditions survey programme is a live assessment of the condition of our estate, but there is still much to do. Approximately 4,000 cells were lost to dilapidation under the last Government.

That is why we are investing £220 million in Prison and Probation Service maintenance in 2024-25, and up to £300 million in 2025-26.

Bobby Dean

A constituent who is now a prisoner of HMP Coldingley wrote to me recently about the appalling conditions in his prison. He spoke about the prevalence of drugs, violence, discrimination and denial of access to healthcare.

In his most recent letter to me, he said that the conditions had got so bad that he made an attempt on his life. Another report on Coldingley has described the conditions as “inhumane”.

Can the Minister tell me what urgent work is being done to ensure that all our prisons have humane conditions for prisoners?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

This Government are determined to ensure the best possible conditions in our prisons. We have inherited a crisis in our prisons, I am afraid, but if the hon. Member wishes to write to me about that particular issue, I will be happy to write back to him.

Mr Speaker

I call the Chair of the Justice Committee.

Andy Slaughter

Hammersmith and Chiswick

Lab

The condition of our Victorian prisons in particular is not conducive to rehabilitation or preparation for life on release. The Government are pressing ahead with the construction of 20,000 new prison places, which their predecessors failed to honour.

What thought has been given, in the design and operation of these major new prisons, to the training, education, addiction and mental health needs of inmates, for whom prison is currently little more than a human warehouse?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

These new prisons will be built with all the things my hon. Friend mentions taken fully into account. The Government are determined to put in place 14,000 more prison places.

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