Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure a continuity of care for individuals released from prison via the early release scheme that were receiving treatment for (a) drug and (b) alcohol issues.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Ministry of Justice is committed to working in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure that continuity of care is in place for individuals leaving prison under the ECSL scheme and who have an ongoing drug and or alcohol treatment need.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) the detection of and (b) testing methods for synthetic cannabinoids in the prison estate; and what steps he is taking to improve effectiveness in these areas.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
All prisons have a zero-tolerance approach to drugs, and we are highly aware of the threat synthetic drugs present. In response, HMPPS has developed capabilities to drug test prisoners who are suspected to have used, or are at risk of using, these dangerous substances. In addition, all prisons have been provided with access to forensic testing of items seized or found within the estate.
Our drug testing contract enables us to deliver key commitments in the cross-Government drug strategy such as: testing of offenders who receive a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement, the pilot of Intensive Supervision Courts, and increased flexibility to test for a broader range of drugs.
Our £100 million Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, including reducing the conveyance of illicit items such as drugs, was completed in March 2022. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. Under this programme, all public sector sites have also been provided with next-generation drug trace detection machines. This technology enables prisons to detect attempts to convey drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids, into prisons. The equipment is effective in identifying synthetic cannabinoids that have been soaked onto letters, clothing and other items.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the last pre-Fresh Start prison officer with reserved pension rights retired from service.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Currently there are 11 full time and 181 partially retired operational uniform staff who retained Pre-Fresh Start Reserved Rights Terms under the legacy PCSPS Classic scheme. There are also 19 partially retired Operational Managers who retained Pre-Fresh Start terms under the legacy PCSPS Classic scheme at the date of taking their benefits.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many pre-Fresh Start prison officers with reserved pension rights remain in service.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Currently there are 11 full time and 181 partially retired operational uniform staff who retained Pre-Fresh Start Reserved Rights Terms under the legacy PCSPS Classic scheme. There are also 19 partially retired Operational Managers who retained Pre-Fresh Start terms under the legacy PCSPS Classic scheme at the date of taking their benefits.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2024 to Question 15436 on Prison Officers: Crimes of Violence, if he will publish the data on method of attack against (a) prison officers and (b) all staff, broken down by victim.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
We publish statistics on the number of total assaults, broken down by type of weapon, as part of our Safety in Custody statistics.
Our statisticians regularly review the content of publications and welcome feedback. Development of new and improved statistical outputs is usually dependent on reallocating existing resources. As part of our continual review and prioritisation, we will consider publishing assaults with weapons by victim type.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2024 to Question 15436, whether assaults by razor are counted under (a) knife/blade or (b) other sharp instrument.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Assaults by razor should be counted in knife/blade, as the definition is “an object with a sharp edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces, skin, material”. However, as there is no formal reference to razors, we expect that some may also be in the ‘other sharp instrument’ category, defined as “objects or instruments which are able to cut, prick, cause injury and / or infection e.g.,needle, broken glass” and the ‘other’ category.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on prison officers have involved razors in the last year.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors which have resulted in hospitalisation in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors that have resulted in prison officers leaving the service in the last year could also only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
We are committed to making prisons safe places to work and recognise the risks associated with the current wet shave razor provision. In the 2021 Prison Safety White Paper we committed to trial alternatives to wet shave razors, and during 2022 and 2023 six pilots have been carried out in the male estate and one in the female estate. The evaluation of these pilots will conclude in March 2024 and will inform decisions about future shaving provision in prisons.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on prison officers involving razors have resulted in prison officers leaving the service in the last year.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors which have resulted in hospitalisation in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors that have resulted in prison officers leaving the service in the last year could also only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
We are committed to making prisons safe places to work and recognise the risks associated with the current wet shave razor provision. In the 2021 Prison Safety White Paper we committed to trial alternatives to wet shave razors, and during 2022 and 2023 six pilots have been carried out in the male estate and one in the female estate. The evaluation of these pilots will conclude in March 2024 and will inform decisions about future shaving provision in prisons.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on prison officers involving razors have resulted in hospitalisation in the last year.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors which have resulted in hospitalisation in the last year could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The number of assaults on prison officers involving razors that have resulted in prison officers leaving the service in the last year could also only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
We are committed to making prisons safe places to work and recognise the risks associated with the current wet shave razor provision. In the 2021 Prison Safety White Paper we committed to trial alternatives to wet shave razors, and during 2022 and 2023 six pilots have been carried out in the male estate and one in the female estate. The evaluation of these pilots will conclude in March 2024 and will inform decisions about future shaving provision in prisons.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been (a) found in and (b) prosecuted for possession of a bladed article in the last year.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
HMPPS published the revised Crime in Prison Referral Agreement in October 2022. The agreement aims to ensure that all acts of criminality that occur in prison are properly addressed within the criminal justice system, particularly in circumstances that indicate that a criminal prosecution is appropriate or where a statutory obligation exists.
It is not possible to identify the number of prisoners found in or prosecuted for possession of a bladed article in the last year. Detailed information may be held on local administrative records, but to be able to identify these cases we would have to access and review all potentially relevant records which would be of disproportionate cost.