Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills the introduction of a tailored curriculum offering a mix of life skills and formal educational skills to build on established programmes in men's prisons.

Officials in the National Offender Management Service, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Skills Funding Agency are working in partnership with learning providers to further develop the flexibility of the tailored curriculum approach. Once developed, new courses will be added to the menu available under the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS), accessible to male prisoners.

We have introduced a tailored curriculum in women’s prisons. The same curriculum approach is accessible to male prisoners should Governors wish to commission this.