Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Maria Caulfield

Tuesday 31st October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

5. What progress the Government have made on the implementation of the Farmer review published on 10 August 2017.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

The family is the most effective resettlement agency that we have. That is a view shared by the prisons inspectorate, the probation service and Ofsted. The time to work on those relationships is from the moment an offender is sentenced to jail. To leave it longer is to leave it too late. That is why I welcome the excellent review by Lord Farmer, and we are working to implement all his recommendations.

[Maria Caulfield]

Figures from the Farmer review show that inmates who receive regular family visits are 39% less likely to reoffend. Will the Minister outline what steps the Government are taking to enable more family visits to happen in our prisons?

[Mr Gyimah]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Reoffending rates among people who have family contact are a lot lower than those for other offenders. We are working to implement all of Lord Farmer’s review over time. I will be meeting her and a number of colleagues to discuss our progress on this later.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Maria Caulfield

Tuesday 25th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

9. What improvements there have been at HMP Lewes since that prison was placed in special measures.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

A new governor was appointed in January 2017 and is developing an action plan in response to the issues in Lewes prison.

[Maria Caulfield]

I thank the Minister for his reply. Could he set out how the Government’s prison reform will help HMP Lewes—particularly prisoners who are trying to stop reoffending, and the prison officers, who do a difficult job?

[Mr Gyimah]

A key part of our reform programme is adding 2,500 staff to our Prison Service. As far as HMP Lewes is concerned, we have made 24 job offers for additional prison officers since November. Starting pay at HMP Lewes is now £26,500, and along with more prison officers, that will enable the prison to support and challenge prisoners to turn their lives around.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Maria Caulfield

Tuesday 24th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

T8. Will the Minister outline the support that has been provided to Lewes prison since it went into special measures at the end of last year? Is there any update on the progress that is being made in tackling some of the key issues that put the prison into special measures in the first place?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

HMP Lewes went into special measures on 12 December, and a bespoke package of support is being developed for the newly appointed governor, who took up his post on 9 January. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the support in detail.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Maria Caulfield

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to introduce apprenticeships for prisoners.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

As outlined in the prison safety and reform White Paper, we will introduce a prisoner apprenticeship pathway that will offer prisoners opportunities that count towards the completion of a formal apprenticeship on release. This scheme is being developed as part of our offender employment strategy which will be published in the new year.

[Maria Caulfield]

Can the Minister update me on progress in introducing apprenticeships in HMP Lewes?

[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.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Maria Caulfield

Tuesday 6th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

10. What steps her Department is taking to provide additional support for prisons with increased numbers of inmates who are detained for sexual offences.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

We will always have prison places to fulfil the orders of the courts. Those convicted of sexual offences are just one cohort of a range we manage daily across the estate. In doing so, we will make sure that estate capacity is realigned to meet the demand for places, including for those convicted of sexual offences.

[Maria Caulfield]

Her Majesty’s prison Lewes in my constituency has seen a huge surge in prisoners either on remand or serving a sentence for sexual offences. This is putting massive pressure not just on staffing but on space and resources. What specific help can the Minister give HMP Lewes?

[Mr Gyimah]

My hon. Friend makes a very valid point. Those at HMP Lewes who are charged with sexual offences are generally held in separate units that provide suitable accommodation for their offending behaviours. Perhaps I can reassure her that the prison received £153,000 of the Government’s £12 million fund for safety, and that it plans to spend that on staff, focusing on safety and on violence reduction. There is a recruitment drive going on at the moment. Staff are being vetted and a number of staff will be starting imminently.