Oral Answers to Questions

Paul Howell Excerpts

Tuesday 20th February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

1. What steps he is taking to ensure that people leaving prison are provided with support to help prevent reoffending.

[Paul Howell (Sedgefield) (Con)]

16. What steps he is taking to help reduce reoffending.

[Simon Fell (Barrow and Furness) (Con)]

17. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce rates of reoffending by people released from prison.

--- Later in debate ---

[Paul Howell]

I recently raised the issue of social media use in prison, allegedly by one of those responsible for the murder of Jack Woodley, the son of my constituent Zoey McGill. We have a local campaign against knife crime, and at the latest working group meeting we discussed deterrents. Zoey would like to understand what consequences were suffered by this individual for the posts that he sent, but also why he should be wearing a designer T-shirt and apparently leading a cushy life. Prison needs to be seen as a deterrent, but if inmates are having it easy with designer wear and no consequences, how is that a deterrent? May I ask the Secretary of State what is being done to address this, and to make prison the deterrent that it should be?

[Alex Chalk]

I know that the whole House will want to send its deepest sympathies to Zoey McGill following the shocking murder of her son in 2021. It was a dreadful crime, of which 10 men were convicted and for which they received life sentences. The use of social media in prisons is not acceptable, and this content was removed from the social media platform. We have been investing £100 million in prison security and new technology, including X-ray scanners to tackle the smuggling of contraband mobile phones. Those who are caught can face loss of privileges, more time in custody, and even a referral to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration of further charges.