Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 18 July 2025 (HL9111), when they expect HMP Millsike to be operating at full capacity.

At present, around 80% of HMP Millsike’s capacity is in use. Occupancy will increase when operationally appropriate to do so. The pace of prisoner intake is kept under review by His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) and can be adjusted as necessary.

The occupation of new prisons is phased and managed carefully to ensure the prison remains safe, secure and stable as occupancy increases. This is explained in HMP Millsike’s published Mobilisation Strategy. It is recognised that opening a new prison is an inherently challenging period, as staff adapt to a new site and establish its culture, regime and processes. Staffing is one of a range of operational factors that need to be considered, together with safety and security, the stability of the prison, and the establishment of its regime and processes.

As with all privately operated prisons, HMPPS strictly monitors the performance of the prison throughout the life of the contract, including through its on-site contract management team.