Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders who have been recalled to prison since the practice of quarantining new entrants was introduced have spent the entire period of their recall in isolation.

Prisons in England and Wales have closely followed guidance issued by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and public health authorities to protect prisoners and staff. Building on best available evidence to protect the most vulnerable and reduce transmission of infection, new cohorting strategies were developed by HMPPS (advised by public health authorities) and implemented from 31 March. This strategy includes quarantining new arrivals to prisons in reverse cohorting units (RCU).

We do not hold the requested data centrally. However, new receptions into prison from court and recalls have only been accepted into prisons where there is adequate space for them to be held separately for 14 days. If the period of recall is 14 days or less a prisoner would be required to spend their entire period of recall in an RCU.