Oral Answers to Questions

Oliver Colvile Excerpts

Tuesday 8th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

5. What progress his Department is making on plans to ensure that more prisoners obtain employment after release.

[Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Con)]

12. What progress his Department is making on plans to ensure that more prisoners obtain employment after release.

[David Mackintosh (Northampton South) (Con)]

13. What progress his Department is making on plans to ensure that more prisoners obtain employment after release.

--- Later in debate ---

[Andrew Selous]

I warmly commend the important work that Footprints is doing in Dorset. I want to see greater use of the voluntary sector, and an increased focus on offender employment on the part of CRCs. I made those points to CRC leaders only last week.

[Oliver Colvile]

As a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, I, too, wish to associate myself with the Minister’s initial comments.

How can we ensure that prisoners do not become institutionalised as a result of seeing prisons as “safe havens”, rather than rebuilding their lives once they have been released?

[Andrew Selous]

My hon. Friend has raised an important point. We need to help prisoners to take responsibility for their lives, and that includes helping them to find legal work in order to support their families. I believe that the Prime Minister’s announcement that we will measure employment outcomes for prisoners will drive further progress.