Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether release on temporary license for (a) employment purposes and (b) other purposes has continued at HMP Sudbury during the covid-19 national lockdown announced on 5 January 2021.

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is working closely with public health authorities to support prisons to re-introduce release on temporary licence (ROTL) where it is safe and practicable to do so and in line with national restrictions on movement during the pandemic. HMPPS is adopting a cautious approach to recovery which is carefully monitored on a prison by prison basis. The safety of staff and prisoners and the protection of the NHS remains the priority.

Currently, ROTL is suspended in England and Wales except for those with roles as essential workers in the community or for compelling, compassionate reasons such as key health appointments. Prisoners at HMP Sudbury had been temporarily released for those reasons since January, but all ROTL at the prison is currently suspended as a precautionary measure.