Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing inmates to apply for jobs in prison while on remand.

The Ministry of Justice acknowledges the importance of purposeful activity including employment in custody for convicted prisoners and for those on remand.

Under Section 31 of the Prison Rules 1999, un-convicted prisoners are already permitted to take up prison employment voluntarily, though they are not compelled to do so.