Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make it her policy that contracts for the provision of prison education should include requirements to implement the new fair deal policy for pensions for affected staff.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The guidance on the New Fair Deal is currently being reviewed by HM Treasury. The impact of this review is explained in the Invitations to Tender for the current procurement for prisoner education services. Further information can be found using the following links: Prisoner Education Services Panel (Inc. Core Education) - Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk) and Procurement for the Provision of Prisoner Education Services (Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)) - Find a Tender.
Relevant Treasury guidance will be followed in the delivery of prison education, including any updates on the application of New Fair Deal pensions policy. If New Fair Deal is extended to apply to further education colleges, this will apply to further education college staff working in prisons.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to implement the new fair deal policy for pensions for prison education staff employed by further education colleges.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The guidance on the New Fair Deal is currently being reviewed by HM Treasury. The impact of this review is explained in the Invitations to Tender for the current procurement for prisoner education services. Further information can be found using the following links: Prisoner Education Services Panel (Inc. Core Education) - Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk) and Procurement for the Provision of Prisoner Education Services (Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)) - Find a Tender.
Relevant Treasury guidance will be followed in the delivery of prison education, including any updates on the application of New Fair Deal pensions policy. If New Fair Deal is extended to apply to further education colleges, this will apply to further education college staff working in prisons.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of open magistrates courts in Lancashire.
Answered by Mike Freer
Both Preston and Blackpool magistrates’ courts are temporarily closed in response to professional assessments about the safety of RAAC in those court buildings. I am however confident that there are sufficient open courts in Lancashire to list cases that have been displaced as a result of these temporary closures and I am grateful to judiciary and all those involved in putting in place these temporary arrangements.
We will be investing £220m in the two years to March 2025 to improve the overall quality and enhance the resilience of the court and tribunal estate and ensure that those buildings most in need of investment get it.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for the reopening of (a) Blackpool and (b) Preston magistrates’ courts.
Answered by Mike Freer
The safety of everyone who uses our courts is paramount and the decision to temporarily close Blackpool and Preston Magistrates’ courts was made in line with professional advice following the detection of defective Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete. These court buildings will reopen once they are assessed as safe by professionals following the completion of required remedial works.
Blackpool Magistrates’ Court is currently scheduled to reopen in February 2024. Preston Magistrates’ Court is currently scheduled to reopen in January 2024.
Cases have been heard in other courts in Lancashire to ensure cases continue to be heard in a timely way.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many sexual assaults by inmates on inmates were recorded in young offender institutions by institution in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Safeguarding the children and young people in our care is a key priority for HM Prison & Probation Service. Sexual assaults in the Youth Secure Estate are rare. In the 10 years from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2023, there were seven sexual assaults in young offender institutions by children or young persons on other children or young persons.
Owing to the small numbers involved, it is not possible to provide the requested breakdown without risking identification of victims.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prison governors have worked at (a) two, (b) three, (c) four and (d) more than four prisons since 2010.
Answered by Damian Hinds
From 01 January 2010 to 30 June 2023 there have been 295 prison governors employed at public sector prisons. The number of prisons they have been governors of in that period is shown in Table 1.
Table 1 – The number of prisons that governors have governed between 01 January 2010 and 30 June 2023
Number of prisons governed | Governors | Percentage |
1 | 145 | 49% |
2 | 90 | 31% |
3 | 49 | 17% |
4 | 7 | 2% |
More than 4 | 4 | 1% |
Total | 295 | 100% |
Notes:
1. Figures relate to governing governors only (band 10-11) and do not include deputy governors temporarily covering this role.
2. Only a single governor is recorded for each prison, though it is possible for the system to temporarily show more than governor at a prison at a time, any duplicates per prison are removed.
3. Source of data: HMPPS - Single Operating Platform
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the food budget was per-prisoner per day in each year since 2015 in private sector prisons.
Answered by Damian Hinds
In the majority of privately managed prison contracts, food budgets are not separated out from other contract costs. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not hold this information and it would not be possible to identify the food budget without disproportionate cost.
Nevertheless, all Establishments are required to ensure prisoners receive three nutritionally balanced meals a day as set out in Prison Service Instruction 44/2010 Catering - Meals for Prisoners. These must meet the religious, cultural and medical needs of all prisoners.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to page 16 of HMPPS Annual Digest 2022/23 published on 27 July 2023, how long was taken to refer the 986 Foreign National Offender cases which did not meet his Department's 10 day working target.
Answered by Damian Hinds
As outlined on the page of the Annual Digest referred to, the 986 Foreign National Offender cases were referred to the Home Office on time, as part of a trial of a new digital process, which was not captured via the traditional measurement. Cases referred through the new and more efficient digital process are referred to the Home Office within five working days of sentence.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what subscriptions to (a) magazines, (b) television channels and (c) newspapers his Department funds for officials.
Answered by Mike Freer
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of shift slots at HMP Lancaster Farms were unfilled in (a) June, (b) July and (c) August 2023.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The information requested could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.