Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what regulations govern training for prisoners while still in prison for job placements on release.

The prison education curriculum enables prisoners to gain the skills they need to get employment on release. In addition to English, maths and vocational training we offer bespoke, local training via the Dynamic Purchasing System. We are developing other training through our Future Skills Programme in a variety of sectors, such as construction and hospitality with employers guaranteeing interviews to prisoners on completion of the course. Prisoners may also undertake other work placements during their sentence which prepares them for work on release. Some are within the prison setting e.g. prison kitchens, but prisoners in open prisons may also go out to work in a variety of sectors under Release on Temporary Licence conditions. We also work with the Department for Education who fund a ‘skills bootcamp’ to deliver training in skills needed to work in the rail industry alongside continuing to develop the opportunities for serving prisoners to undertake apprenticeships.

Prison Education delivered by HMPPS is underpinned by the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, the Prison Rules 1999 and the Prison Education and Libraries Framework. The delivery of apprenticeships to prisoners is governed by the Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2017. All aspects of education, skills and work are inspected by Ofsted alongside HMIP.