Drones: High-security Prisons
Debate between James Wild and Nicholas Dakin(1 day, 8 hours ago)
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Sir Nicholas Dakin
The security and safety of prisoners and prison officers is very important. The Prisons Minister and the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones), sitting to my right, recently visited Parc Prison, and are well aware of the issues. They are working with the prison authorities to address them.
James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)
Two months ago in the House, I raised concerns that HMP Garth had been likened to an airport because of the number of drones illegally flying drugs into the prison. In response, the Lord Chancellor told me that the Prisons Minister was meeting the governor and thinking
“about how to deal with those problems”.—[Official Report, 5 November 2024; Vol. 756, c. 164.]
What precise action has the Department taken since then, and what action will the Minister take today to deal with the problems at HMP Manchester?
Sir Nicholas Dakin
Actions are being taken and things are being done. I have mentioned the issues around windows, and netting and bars, but frankly this is a security issue. We are up against organised crime. We will not talk publicly about the measures that we are considering, because that would not be the best way of tackling the issue.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between James Wild and Nicholas Dakin(2 months, 1 week ago)
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Sir Nicholas Dakin
We value youth services, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, that enable young people to develop new skills to turn their lives around. In fact, the D of E scheme is available in all five of our young offender institutions, and 36 people in YOIs were enrolled in the scheme in August.
James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)
Last week I met former prisoners who had taken part in Greene King’s Releasing Potential scheme, which is now being expanded with two further training kitchens going into prisons to help people turn their lives around. What are the Government doing to boost such programmes, and the employment advisory boards that we set up, to ensure that while prisoners are rightly punished they are also rehabilitated?
Sir Nicholas Dakin
Such schemes and initiatives are exactly the sort of thing that this Government want to celebrate as best practice and replicate in other settings.