Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are trials in any prisons in the north of England regarding preventing prisoners from accessing vapes; and, if so, when they expect the evaluation of those trials to be published.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Prison Service is considering the practical implications of vape removal. There are currently no active trials to prevent prisoners accessing vapes in prisons in the north of England.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of fire risk presented in prisons by (1) vapes, and (2) other ignition sources; and what steps they are taking to limit access to vapes and other ignition sources.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The level of fire risk associated with prisoner possession of vape devices is continuously monitored through the national fire reporting system. Data gathered through this process has supported the introduction of a redesigned, lower-risk vape device, which has contributed to a 43% reduction in overall fire incidents
Other ignition sources are continuously monitored through the national fire reporting system. Analysis of incident data informs both behavioural and infrastructure-based interventions designed to reduce opportunities for fire-setting and mitigate associated risks. This includes preventative and protective measures across the estate, such as Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs), safer kettles, and the use of non-combustible furnishings, all of which are intended to reduce the likelihood of fire occurring and limit fire growth where incidents do occur.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to trial the removal of vapes in prisons.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Prison Service has established a national working group to consider future policy options relating to vaping in prisons. This work remains at an early stage of development, and no decisions have been made. Several prisons in the north of England are also considering the practical implications of vape removal.
Asked by: Baroness Buscombe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 25 November (HL11797), what steps they take to ensure that those living in the vicinity of a prison are notified in the event that a foreign national offender is released without being deported immediately.
Answered by Lord Timpson
There is no mechanism to notify the public living in the vicinity of a prison if a Foreign National Offender (FNO) is released.
When a FNO is released into the community, they are subject to supervision and monitoring by the probation service in the same way British citizens released from prison would be. The Home Office will pursue removal of FNOs whether in prison or the community where a deportation order has been made.
The HMPPS Victim Contact Scheme provides a service for the victims of offenders who are convicted of a specified violent, sexual or terrorism offence and are sentenced to twelve months or more imprisonment. Victims who decide to receive the service are allocated a Victim Liaison Officer who will keep the victim updated on key stages throughout the sentence, including when the offender (whether FNO or not) is released.
In the year-ending October 2025, over 5,400 FNOs have been returned which is 12% higher than the 12 months prior.