Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nicholas Dakin and Bob Blackman

Tuesday 10th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

7. What steps she is taking to help ensure that prisoners are prepared for life outside of prison before they are released.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)]

We are mandating careers advice in prisons and introducing a life skills curriculum. All released prisoners have access to an employment advisory board that can connect prisoners with work, and banking and ID administrators are preparing prisoners for life after prison.

[Sir Nicholas Dakin]

I agree with my hon. Friend. We know that having a job and a home are the best ways to reduce reoffending. That is why we have employment hubs in all resettlement prisons, where prisoners can access job vacancies and support with their applications.

[Bob Blackman]

The Minister will know that prison governors have a statutory duty to ensure that prisoners are prepared for life outside prison before their release. One of the main issues for released prisoners is finding a secure home, so that they can have somewhere secure to live rather than going back to the place where they were probably involved in gangs or with particular individuals. Now that prisoners are being released from their sentences early, what action is the Minister taking to ensure that they are fully prepared for life outside prison and there is no risk that they will reoffend?

[Sir Nicholas Dakin]

We know that accommodation is key to reducing reoffending. That is why we are expanding our transitional accommodation service and working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness and ensuring this issue is tackled correctly.