Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of grade 3 prison officers being put in charge of pregnant women's healthcare.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
Pregnant women in prison are entitled to the same quality and range of healthcare services as they have access to in the community. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) published a new policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from Children up to the Age of Two in Women’s Prisons on 20 September. This delivers a range of improvements to the care of pregnant women in prison. Prisons are in the process of implementing new requirements and are expected to have this in place by 20 March 2022.
Healthcare in women’s prisons, including perinatal services, are commissioned by NHS England & Improvement. The role of HMPPS is to work in partnership with local healthcare providers to secure access to these services. The new policy introduces enhanced Band 3 Pregnancy and Mother and Baby Liaison Officers across the women’s estate. This is an operational prison role designed to enable early identification, contact and signposting to support services, including perinatal healthcare services. It is not a clinical role – provision of clinical services is the responsibility of NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement a national policy and pathway for pregnant women in prison.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
Pregnant women in prison are entitled to the same quality and range of healthcare services as they have access to in the community. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) published a new policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from Children up to the Age of Two in Women’s Prisons on 20 September. This delivers a range of improvements to the care of pregnant women in prison. Prisons are in the process of implementing new requirements and are expected to have this in place by 20 March 2022.
Healthcare in women’s prisons, including perinatal services, are commissioned by NHS England & Improvement. The role of HMPPS is to work in partnership with local healthcare providers to secure access to these services. The new policy introduces enhanced Band 3 Pregnancy and Mother and Baby Liaison Officers across the women’s estate. This is an operational prison role designed to enable early identification, contact and signposting to support services, including perinatal healthcare services. It is not a clinical role – provision of clinical services is the responsibility of NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Independent investigation into the death of Baby A at HMP Bronzefield on 27 September 2019, published on 22 September, what discussions they have had with the Chief Inspector of Prisons.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The events that took place at HMP/YOI Bronzefield were unquestionably tragic, and significant improvements have since been put in place both at the prison and across the entire female estate.
The Ministry of Justice, Sodexo (the private providers who are contracted to run HMP Bronzefield) and health providers have accepted the recommendations made by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in their thorough report and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will continue to work closely with providers to ensure pregnant women in Bronzefield receive the best possible care. The on-site HMPPS Controller will oversee implementation of the recommendations in line with the agreed Action Plan and timelines, working collaboratively with NHSE and service providers.
A project team is coordinating the implementation of the recommendations and to take forward wider learning across all women’s prisons.
In July 2019 a fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to the age of two in women’s prisons commenced, which concluded in July 2020, and HMIP were part of the consultation group. As a result of the review, a new policy has been published and learning from these tragic events has been incorporated into the new policy where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update Parliament on the progress of implementing the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman recommendations for change at HMP Bronzefield, published on 22 September.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The events that took place at HMP/YOI Bronzefield were unquestionably tragic, and significant improvements have since been put in place both at the prison and across the entire female estate.
The Ministry of Justice, Sodexo (the private providers who are contracted to run HMP Bronzefield) and health providers have accepted the recommendations made by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in their thorough report and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will continue to work closely with providers to ensure pregnant women in Bronzefield receive the best possible care. The on-site HMPPS Controller will oversee implementation of the recommendations in line with the agreed Action Plan and timelines, working collaboratively with NHSE and service providers.
A project team is coordinating the implementation of the recommendations and to take forward wider learning across all women’s prisons.
In July 2019 a fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to the age of two in women’s prisons commenced, which concluded in July 2020, and HMIP were part of the consultation group. As a result of the review, a new policy has been published and learning from these tragic events has been incorporated into the new policy where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman recommendations for change at HMP Bronzefield, published on 22 September, will be implemented in a timely fashion.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The events that took place at HMP/YOI Bronzefield were unquestionably tragic, and significant improvements have since been put in place both at the prison and across the entire female estate.
The Ministry of Justice, Sodexo (the private providers who are contracted to run HMP Bronzefield) and health providers have accepted the recommendations made by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in their thorough report and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will continue to work closely with providers to ensure pregnant women in Bronzefield receive the best possible care. The on-site HMPPS Controller will oversee implementation of the recommendations in line with the agreed Action Plan and timelines, working collaboratively with NHSE and service providers.
A project team is coordinating the implementation of the recommendations and to take forward wider learning across all women’s prisons.
In July 2019 a fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to the age of two in women’s prisons commenced, which concluded in July 2020, and HMIP were part of the consultation group. As a result of the review, a new policy has been published and learning from these tragic events has been incorporated into the new policy where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of how many additional spaces will need to be provided in Mother and Baby Units as part of the work to build 500 new places for (1) women, and (2) trans men, in prison.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The programme to deliver up to 500 additional prison places in the women’s estate does not include delivering additional places in Mother and Baby Units. The current provision provided for Mother and Baby Units is forecast to continue to be sufficient with the increase in prison places.
Our new accommodation design supports transgender needs as required by legislation and prison policy. This includes ensuring that there are adequate areas that support the disclosing of information and private conversations. Single-cell occupancy will also support privacy and dignity, with in-cell sanitation facilities included in designs.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) women, and (2) trans men, were known to be pregnant in East Sutton Park Prison for the first two quarters of 2020.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
We do not hold this pregnancy data for the requested time period or format. This data would need to be collected by individual prisons at a disproportionate cost.
As part of our fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to two in prison, we committed to providing national pregnancy data in the future. The ‘HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2020 to March 2021’ was published on 29 July 2021 and this contains the latest published figures relating to pregnant prisoners. This data is, however, provided as a national snapshot. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2020-to-march-2021
Further information on the review, including our findings and resulting reforms regarding data collection, can be found in our summary report published in July 2020:
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) women, and (2) trans men, were known to be pregnant in Drake Hall Prison for the first two quarters of 2020.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
We do not hold this pregnancy data for the requested time period or format. This data would need to be collected by individual prisons at a disproportionate cost.
As part of our fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to two in prison, we committed to providing national pregnancy data in the future. The ‘HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2020 to March 2021’ was published on 29 July 2021 and this contains the latest published figures relating to pregnant prisoners. This data is, however, provided as a national snapshot. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2020-to-march-2021
Further information on the review, including our findings and resulting reforms regarding data collection, can be found in our summary report published in July 2020:
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) women, and (2) trans men, were known to be pregnant in New Hall Prison for the first two quarters of 2020.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
We do not hold this pregnancy data for the requested time period or format. This data would need to be collected by individual prisons at a disproportionate cost.
As part of our fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to two in prison, we committed to providing national pregnancy data in the future. The ‘HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2020 to March 2021’ was published on 29 July 2021 and this contains the latest published figures relating to pregnant prisoners. This data is, however, provided as a national snapshot. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2020-to-march-2021
Further information on the review, including our findings and resulting reforms regarding data collection, can be found in our summary report published in July 2020:
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of the prison population aged 50 and over, broken down by (1) type of custody, (2) sex, and (3) whether they are repeat offenders or first time offenders.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The information requested in (1) and (2) are published on gov.uk as part of the quarterly prison population statistics.
As at 31 December 2017, the number of the prison population aged 50 and over was 13,522. The breakdown of custody type and sex is provided below.
(1) Custody Type
i. On remand: 805
ii. Sentenced: 12,640
iii. Non-criminal: 77
(2) Sex
i. Male: 13,000
ii. Female: 522
The information requested in (3) could only be provided at disproportionate cost.