Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) alternatives to traditional construction methods in the construction of prisons and (b) modular and rapid deployment cells to meet long-term capacity needs; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of these proposals on the environment.

Our new prisons are being delivered through Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which use a standardised design, allowing us to build faster and more effectively. MMC describes contemporary innovations in construction, including new technologies (such as digital tools and techniques), offsite manufacture and use of efficient processes to deliver productive, sustainable and better outcomes. Because of this, we are now delivering almost 22% faster than traditional construction methods. Additionally, these developments are required to deliver through the application of the Ministry of Justice’s sustainable construction policies, including BREEAM, which holds relevant new prison developments to the highest environmental standards.

As outlined in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, published in December 2024, we are using Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) to deliver temporary accommodation at pace, with c.770 already delivered across 14 sites. These are modular, self-contained units with a warranty of 15 years, helping to provide an innovative solution to address the need for additional capacity. Given their temporary nature, RDCs do not apply BREEAM regulations, however, we mitigate against environmental impacts where possible, including through compliance with local planning policy and nutrient neutrality requirements. Additionally, RDCs are fully electric and meet energy efficiency targets for insulation, heating systems and general energy performance.