Oral Answers to Questions

Rob Marris Excerpts

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

First, may I welcome my hon. Friend back to the House? It is great to see her back on our Benches looking so fit and well.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Radiant!

[Elizabeth Truss]

Indeed. Finally, I can agree with a comment from the Opposition.

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the issue of self-harm and suicides in our prison. The rates are too high, which is why we are taking steps to increase the number of prison officers. We will have a dedicated officer for every six prisoners and they will be responsible for those prisoners’ welfare and for helping them to turn their lives around so that they do not go back to reoffending.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Gyimah]

HMP Lewes is exactly the kind of local prison that will benefit from the new prison apprenticeship pathway. I anticipate that the prison will also benefit from the new Prison Service apprenticeship scheme that we are launching in 2017, which will help recruit members to the Prison Service by widening the number of entry points into the service.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

16. Most apprenticeships require literacy. What proportion of prisoners was functionally illiterate at the start of their sentence and what proportion was functionally illiterate on release?

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am delighted that my hon. Friend has joined that review, to which I am sure that she will make a major contribution. Clearly there are issues throughout the criminal justice system that we need to examine, but I am certainly keen to see more diversity throughout our legal services industry and our judiciary, and we are working very hard on that.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Education budgets are being devolved to prison governors. Will each of those budgets be ring-fenced for education spending purposes?

[Elizabeth Truss]

Yes.