Prisons and Young Offender Institutions: Education and Training

Lord Sheldon Excerpts

Monday 28th February 2011 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Sheldon]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to provide education and training for those in prisons and young offender institutions.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally)]

My Lords, the Government believe strongly in giving offenders the skills and training they need to get and keep jobs. That reduces their likelihood of reoffending and is of clear benefit to society. A review into the efficiency and effectiveness of offender learning led jointly by DBIS and the MoJ is nearing completion and will report shortly.

[Lord Sheldon]

My Lords, I look forward to that response in due course. Is it not clear that education and training can reduce prison overcrowding, and that those who have not had proper education and training are three times more likely to be convicted? The overcrowding in prisons limits valuable education and training, so what action will be taken to reduce that overcrowding?

[Lord McNally]

The noble Lord will know that it is our intention to try to bring down the prison population in the next few years, partly by following his line of argument: that if there is a proper rehabilitation strategy for prisoners, they are likely not to reoffend, which will take the pressure off the prison population.