Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken in response to the report published on 15 August by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on the lower site at Hindley Young Offenders Institution, and the report’s conclusion that the Institution "struggled to keep the vulnerable boys it held safe".

As with all establishment inspection reports by HMIP, NOMS will produce an action plan responding to all the recommendations made in the report within six months of the date of publication.

NOMS considers safety a top priority in all of its prisons. The prison will continue to build on its violence reduction strategy and safeguarding policy within the next 12 months to keep those in its care safe. HMYOI Hindley has also recently adopted Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) a new accredited restraint system developed specifically for use with young people (under 18). This provides staff with behaviour management techniques to recognise young people’s behaviour and uses approaches that minimise the need to resort to the use of force.

(HL1803)

NOMS is committed to ensuring that prison cells remain in a decent and habitable condition. Every prison cell, including at HMYOI Hindley, is subject to daily and weekly checks for damage. There are currently no plans to refurbish every cell at HMYOI Hindley. However, a number of cells will be upgraded to include new robust furniture, and new windows on a priority basis. A scheduled programme of wing and cell painting is also in place at the establishment, and work is ongoing to improve the toilet screens in a number of cells.

(HL1804)