Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what training regarding prisoners with disabilities they provide to staff.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Disability Advocacy & Wellbeing Network in HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) offers internal disability awareness training to promote understanding of the issues faced by prisoners with disabilities. Prison staff have access to a suite of guidance materials in relation to disability, enabling then to be confident in their approach and meet the needs of prisoners with disabilities. These resources are reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to complement our national equality policies, which provide direct instruction to prison staff on meeting the requirements of our Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010.
Dedicated Neurodiversity Support Managers are now in place in every public prison in England and Wales. These specialist staff are tasked with making sure prisoners with neurodiverse needs are identified and can access the right education and training opportunities while in prison, as these are crucial to reducing re-offending.
Some neurodiverse offenders may have speech and language needs which can lead to challenging behaviour, meaning they struggle to engage with prison rules and rehabilitation programmes. Support managers will ensure other prison staff know how to avoid and de-escalate volatile situations when working with offenders who have neurodiverse conditions.
HMPPS has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for prisoners with disabilities. These adjustments must be monitored and adapted as necessary throughout the course of the prisoner’s sentence. Where prisoners are transferred, the adjustment requirement will transfer with them.
There is an expectation that each prison will allocate sufficient resources to ensure that equality and diversity are managed effectively locally. The amount of resource required varies from prison to prison, and it would not be possible to obtain a total figure without incurring disproportionate cost. Our newly revised policies place renewed emphasis on the responsibility of senior leaders, including prison governors, for identifying and addressing disparity and promoting inclusion.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether all prisons are equipped to accommodate prisoners with a disability as defined under the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
New prisons are designed to be fully compliant with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, with many accessible rooms. This includes a large number of low mobility cells (72 at Millsike, 84 at Five Wells and Fosse Way), dependant on the number of house blocks. There are also accessible and medical cells, and all areas of the prison are wheelchair accessible via lifts.
In older prisons, the Equality Act requirements are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with appropriate provision being made accordingly. This can include adaptations to prisoner cellular accommodation (grab rails, adapted taps), and cells that can accommodate people with low mobility, cells in medical units, and cells with adaptations for higher disability requirements.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisons are fully accessible to individuals with a disability as defined under the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
New prisons are designed to be fully compliant with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, with many accessible rooms. This includes a large number of low mobility cells (72 at Millsike, 84 at Five Wells and Fosse Way), dependant on the number of house blocks. There are also accessible and medical cells, and all areas of the prison are wheelchair accessible via lifts.
In older prisons, the Equality Act requirements are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with appropriate provision being made accordingly. This can include adaptations to prisoner cellular accommodation (grab rails, adapted taps), and cells that can accommodate people with low mobility, cells in medical units, and cells with adaptations for higher disability requirements.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still intend to convert Derwentside immigration removal centre to a male-only facility.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Plans for Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) are still being considered. Currently the centre remains a functioning female IRC, and we remain focused on the specific needs for women in our care.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what date HM Prison Millsike will open, and whether it is still projected to provide capacity for approximately 1,500 prisoners.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
HMP Millsike officially opened on 27 March 2025 and is forecast to receive its first prisoners by May. It will provide c.1,500 safe, secure, modern and decent prison places.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it remains their intention to vacate the Napier Barracks site on or before 25 March.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following a review and downgrading of the remedial works required at Napier Barracks before the site is handed to developers, a limited time extension has been agreed with the Ministry of Defence to use the site for asylum accommodation until 30 September 2025.
The Home Office continuously reviews the accommodation estate to ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet demand whilst delivering value for money for the UK taxpayer.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions exist to enable Ukrainians who have applied for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme to continue to be able to demonstrate their right to be in the UK to landlords and employers beyond their current three-year visas whilst they await the outcome of the UPE application.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office suite of digital status services ('View and Prove your immigration status', Right to Work and Right to Rent) support a range of individuals, including Ukrainians applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, who have made an in-time application for permission to stay in the UK.
This means where a person has an existing digital immigration status (eVisa) and has submitted an in-time application for a further eVisa, they can provide third parties (such as employers or landlords) with a share code.
Where an in-time application to extend or vary leave is made and the application is not decided before the person's existing leave expires, section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 extends the person's existing leave until a decision is made.
The Home Office online checking service will provide confirmation of the person's right to work or rent and provide an employer or landlord with a statutory excuse against liability for a civil penalty, in the event they are later found to have employed or let a property to a person who is not permitted to do so by virtue of their immigration status.
This enables the employer or landlord to hire or extend the person's contract for six or 12 months respectively. This is the standard duration of the statutory excuse when checks are carried out on those persons with a pending, in-time application for immigration permission.
For an employer or landlord to ensure they do not discriminate against anyone, they should provide reasonable opportunity to enable an individual to prove their right to work or rent.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children affected—directly or indirectly via a parent or guardian—by "no recourse to public funds" conditions on UK residency.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is in the process of transitioning its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Until the transition process is complete, the availability of data in respect of the number of families, who have a condition on their residency in the UK and the number of children affected, will not be available.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of families where at least one member has a "no recourse to public funds" condition on their residency in the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is in the process of transitioning its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Until the transition process is complete, the availability of data in respect of the number of families, who have a condition on their residency in the UK and the number of children affected, will not be available.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children have a "no recourse to public funds" condition on their residency in the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is in the process of transitioning its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Until the transition process is complete, the availability of data in respect of the number of families, who have a condition on their residency in the UK and the number of children affected, will not be available.