Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many covid-19 RIDDOR reports involving (a) HMPPS, and (b) non-directly employed prison staff were submitted to the Health and Safety Executive between March 2020 and December 2021.

HMPPS has applied the guidance criteria provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the reporting of any work-related employee Covid cases under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). There have been no incidents which meet the criteria as defined by HSE in relation to directly or non-directly employed staff, therefore no such cases have been reported by HMPPS.

Our strategy for managing Covid-19 in prisons continues to be guided by our National Framework, which sets out the basis for decisions on the necessary level of Covid controls over time. We also work closely with the UK Health Security Agency and have continued to adjust Covid controls in prisons as the risk has changed during the pandemic. We will transition prisons off the National Framework when it becomes safe to do so.