Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question HL3055, Prisons: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the public sector will be allowed to bid for new contracts for the provision of maintenance services for prisons.

The Ministry of Justice will not be inviting public sector bids for the provision of maintenance services for prisons. A 2023 assessment undertaken in partnership with the Cabinet Office determined that a privatised solution was the preferred option for meeting prison maintenance service needs. This conclusion was approved by the previous administration.

In the interests of expediting the desired improvements in prison maintenance services, the Government is currently running a competitive tender process for these new contracts in line with the recommendations made.