Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of in-cell (i) toilet and (ii) washing facilities for prisoners at HMP Isle of Wight and (b) potential impact of those facilities on the wellbeing of prisoners.

It is correct that the in-cell facilities at HMP Isle of Wight are not on par with newer built prisons. This does mean that some cells on the Albany site do not have any in-cell toiletry or washing facilities, however alternative provisions are provided. Feedback from prisoners on these facilities is always welcomed, and filters into the establishments wider business, maintenance, and improvement plans.

Prison staff are committed to ensuring that the religious needs of all prisoners are respected and accommodated, in line with the Equality Act 2010 and human rights legislation. It is recognised that Muslim prisoners, especially during periods such as Ramadan, may require additional time for washing rituals associated with prayer. While the standard time limit is seven minutes, the control room has the discretion to make reasonable adjustments for individual requests on a case-by-case basis. During the Holy Month of Ramadan, the system is adjusted to allow 12 minutes instead of the usual seven minutes to accommodate this important religious time.

The current system at HMP Isle of Wight (Albany) aims to provide regular access to sanitation facilities while maintaining necessary security measures. Prisoners are allowed up to five exits each night, which provides multiple opportunities for accessing facilities. Staff remain committed to ongoing assessment and improvement of policies to ensure they adequately support prisoner health and wellbeing.

Prison staff are committed to ensuring that all prisoners, including those with disabilities, have equal access to facilities and opportunities, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. Although no issues have been raised directly with staff by any prisoner who is visually impaired, staff do recognise that the electronic keypad system may present challenges for visually impaired prisoners. Visually impaired prisoners can also call the control room on their intercom to request assistance with re-locking their doors, ensuring they can safely return to their cells after accessing communal facilities.