Prison Officers: Coronavirus

(asked on 14th January 2022) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2022 to Question 94513 on Prison Officers: Coronavirus, whether private prisons can seek staffing support via the Prison Group Director’s Office.


Answered by
Victoria Atkins Portrait
Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This question was answered on 24th January 2022

Each privately managed prison has a full-time contract management team that is employed by HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and report to the HMPPS Head of Privately Managed Prisons. They are accountable for providing assurance that the contracts for each prison are delivered in accordance with agreed contractual delivery indicators, and that the prison provides safe, decent and secure services.

Privately managed prisons can seek staffing support via the HMPPS Head of Privately Managed Prisons if required and, if deemed necessary, by other prison operators.

All privately managed prisons have regime contingency plans in place, which are agreed with the Head of Privately Managed Prisons. They also participate in regular Covid-19 calls, which are chaired by the Head of Privately Managed Prisons.

Privately managed prisons can request support from HMPPS although this is not under the same framework as public sector prisons due to the contractual processes that need to be considered.

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