Oral Answers to Questions

Gavin Shuker Excerpts

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

That is an important initiative. We have several initiatives in our prisons, including the Clink Restaurant and the Bad Boys’ Bakery, which does excellent baked goods—I think I mentioned it last time. There are huge opportunities in catering and cheffing, in which we have skill shortages. We can do a great deal with apprenticeships to make sure that people are trained up to take on those roles on release.

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

14. What steps she is taking to review the capability of (a) HM Prison Service and (b) contracted-out prisons to respond to incidents of concerted indiscipline.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

All prisons, both private and public, face the same challenges to safety and security. We are continually reviewing and supporting prisons across the estate to mitigate and manage serious threats and incidents.

[Mr Shuker]

On how many occasions in the past year have private prisons required the support of the public Prison Service to deal with prison indiscipline?

[Mr Gyimah]

Mutual assistance across both sectors is in place in the event of an incident to provide immediate support to those prisons in need. Private sector prisons can therefore provide support to public sector prisons—and vice versa—in the event of a serious threat or incident.