Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of Recycling Lives, in particular in regard to the steps it has taken in relation to (1) training and employment for ex-offenders, and (2) food poverty; and what plans they have to extend such schemes to more prisons.

The New Futures Network, which brokers partnerships between prisons and employers, supports Recycling Lives to build partnerships with prisons, with the objective of securing work opportunities for individuals serving sentences in custody and those leaving prison. Sustainable employment and suitable educational opportunities are key factors to reducing reoffending and in turning offenders’ lives around.

The potential for any extension of such schemes will be dependent on a positive assessment of their practicality and contractual feasibility.