Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on restarting resettlement day release during the covid-19 outbreak for people in prisons in England and Wales.

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) temporarily suspended release on temporary licence (ROTL), with some exceptions, as part of a range of measures to manage the impact of Covid-19 on prisons.

Thanks to the success of these measures in helping to control infection rates, prisons are now easing restrictions in line with the National Framework for Prison Regimes, and

HMPPS is working closely with public health authorities to support prisons to re-introduce ROTL where it is safe and practicable to do so. HMPPS is issuing prisons with Exceptional Delivery Models (EDMs) which guide governors in relaxing restrictions and resuming prison regimes. An EDM for workplace ROTL was issued in July and some workplace ROTL has already resumed. An EDM for other forms of ROTL, for example to maintain family ties, was issued in August.

HMPPS is adopting a cautious approach to recovery which will be carefully monitored. The safety of prisoners and staff must be the priority but, where it can be resumed safely, ROTL will continue to contribute to positive resettlement outcomes and reduced reoffending.