Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to protect (a) prison staff and (b) prisoners who are unable to socially distance.

Social distancing has been used in prisons since 24 March through the implementation of a restricted regime and is promoted through regular communications.

Situations where social distancing is not possible are controlled through safe operating procedures developed in line with public health advice. Safe operating procedures identify the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items required in each situation and the method of use. There is currently adequate stock and forward supply of all PPE items in accordance with public health advice.

Basic hygiene is also a key part of tackling the virus and hand-washing facilities are available to all prisoners and staff, and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and other cleaning materials.

These measures form part of our comprehensive approach to supporting the health and safety of our staff and prisoners in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, also encompassing our compartmentalisation strategy for prisoners to protect the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals as well as boost the resilience of staffing at the frontline and roll-out of further testing.