22 Apr
Question
Prison Reform

The Question session focused on prison reform, covering topics such as prison capacity, safety, mental health, security failures, personal protective equipment for officers, and innovative recruitment schemes. Sir Nicholas Dakin led the session, providing in-depth responses about the Highways England prison capacity strategy, including the goal of building 14,000 new prison places over a decade due to overcrowding. He emphasized a holistic approach to reform, stressing the importance of sentencing reviews and measures for prison safety.

14,000

Number of new prison places planned for a decade as part of capacity strategy.

In response to Jessica Morden, Sir Nicholas acknowledged the concerns regarding Parc Prison and described efforts underway to enhance safety and mental health support by engaging with families directly and conducting visits by various ministers. Security issues at prisons like HMP Frankland were addressed, with Sir Nicholas confirming an independent review and immediate response actions.

99%

Current fullness rate of prisons indicating a crisis level of occupancy.

Pressure was applied by MPs like Jack Rankin regarding PPE for prison officers and potential ideological threats from inmates, pointing out inconsistencies in government actions. Sir Nicholas countered by emphasizing ongoing government reviews and highlighted the need for collaborative efforts with stakeholders such as Unlocked Graduates.

Outcome

The outcome of the session was a nuanced understanding of the government's ongoing and planned actions to combat the prison crisis, with commitments to reviews of security measures, sentencing, and collaboration with innovative programs like Unlocked Graduates. There was a clear recognition of the public concerns over prison safety and officer security.

Key Contributions

Jessica MordenMP
Labour

Raised concerns over prison safety and family welfare at Parc Prison, advocating for updates on mental health and drug interception measures.

Sir Nicholas DakinMP
Labour

Outlined crisis measures with focus on a new sentencing review and safety priorities in prisons like HMP Parc; acknowledged security review post-HMP Frankland incident.

Mr Richard HoldenMP
Conservative

Questioned about gang-related violence and independent review scope following a security failure at HMP Frankland.

Jack RankinMP
Conservative

Urged for immediate PPE provision for prison officers to prevent harm; probed potential ideological threats and existing government measures.

Josh BabarindeMP
Liberal Democrats

Inquired about Unlocked Graduates scheme setbacks and requested the Minister to discuss solutions regarding prison officer recruitment innovations.

Original Transcript
Jessica Morden
Newport East
Lab
Question
UIN: 903773

17. What steps her Department is taking to reform the prison system.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice
Sir Nicholas Dakin

We inherited a system in crisis from the previous Government. With prisons over 99% full, we took immediate action to prevent the collapse of the prison system by changing the automatic release point for standard determinate sentences.

We are building 14,000 new prison places, and we published our 10-year capacity strategy in December. However, we know that we cannot build our way out of this crisis, which is why we have also launched an independent sentencing review to ensure that we will never run out of places again.

Jessica Morden

As Ministers will know from previous questions about Parc Prison, parents in Newport East have very serious concerns about the welfare of family members there, with worrying reports continuing to emerge in recent months.

Can the Minister give an update on any progress being made on prison safety, mental health support and drug interception since Parc has been receiving targeted support?

Sir Nicholas Dakin
15:10

Safety in prisons is a key priority, and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible. My hon. Friend is right to highlight the concerns at Parc. I have recently visited HMP Parc, as has the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon.

Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones), and the Prisons Minister in the other place. On that visit, I saw how seriously the director is taking these issues and engaging closely with families on their very real concerns.

Mr Richard Holden
Basildon and Billericay
Con

The catastrophic security failure at HMP Frankland has exposed the danger that terrorist prisoners can pose to prison officers and other inmates across the prison estate.

Will the independent review also examine the culture of gang-related violence and intimidation that have contributed to such incidents in our prisons?

Sir Nicholas Dakin
15:14

There is an ongoing audit of all the review’s recommendations. Our thoughts remain with our brave prison officers who were attacked, and with the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing and their families, who are understandably concerned by the shocking events in HMP Frankland. My right hon.

Friend the Lord Chancellor took immediate action to set a review in place.

Mr Speaker

I call the shadow Minister.

Sir Nicholas Dakin
15:14

That is part of the review that has been announced. My right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor is meeting the Prison Officers Association tomorrow. These things need to be done rightly and properly, and that is what will happen with this Government.

Jack Rankin
15:14

I thank the Minister for his answer, but I suggest that this is something we should just get on with—it is common sense. There is a more fundamental issue.

Perhaps I can invite the Minister to provide his assessment of the relative threats provided by different ideological extremists in prisons, which may be fuelling such violence. Islamist terror suspects make up the vast majority of MI5’s caseload.

Do they also make up the majority of radicalising criminals in our prison estate?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

The hon. Gentleman urges us to get on with it. By my reckoning, the Conservative party had 14 years to get on with it. We are getting on with it. We set up the snap review straightaway. [Interruption.] “It’s not party political,” he says.

Well, people might judge that for themselves by listening to the sort of questioning we have had today.

Mr Speaker
15:14

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Josh Babarinde
Eastbourne
LD
15:14

Key agents of reform in our prisons are prison officers. Unlocked Graduates is an amazing scheme that supports the production of prison officers with new innovations, but it has had the rug pulled from underneath its feet, beyond its current cohort.

There are mixed accounts of what has happened from different civil servants and other individuals in government. Will the Minister explain exactly what has happened? Why has the contract not worked? Will he sit down with me and Unlocked Graduates to see if we can find a way forward?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

I very much praise the work that Unlocked Graduates has done over many years. Unfortunately, when the contract was let previously, Unlocked Graduates was unhappy to progress with the contract. That is the situation. Obviously, these things are very difficult, but I am very happy to meet the hon.

Member to discuss matters further.

All content derived from official parliamentary records