Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to offer prison staff bonuses to cover shortages during the covid-19 outbreak.

Prisons have existing, well-developed policies and procedures in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These policies and procedures are being built upon in response to the specific risks posed by COVID-19 and we have put in place robust contingency plans, informed by Public Health authorities.

HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus. This has been communicated to all prison staff.

Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. All prisoners have access to soap and hot water for handwashing – not just in cells but also in other shared areas such as education blocks, kitchens, showers, workplace toilets and the gym.

All prison staff, including teaching staff, also have access to adequate handwashing facilities and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials

We are looking at ways to increase front line staff availability so that we can minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes the possibility of pay and reward enhancements.