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Written Question
Prisons: Drugs and Mobile Phones
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the smuggling of (a) drugs and (b) communication devices into prisons.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We are committed to tackling the smuggling of all illicit items into prisons, including drugs and communication devices such as mobile phones.

We completed the £100 million Security Investment Programme in March 2022, which included funding to bolster physical security measures. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2023, we had recorded 46,925 positive indications, helping to tackle the supply of drugs and mobile phones into prisons. We also deployed Enhanced Gate Security to 42 high-risk prisons under this investment, implementing routine searching of staff and visitors. This included 659 dedicated staff, 154 drug sniffing dogs and over 200 pieces of equipment.

We have 165 drug trace detection machines across the prison estate to prevent the smuggling of drugs, such as psychoactive substances, through the mail. The rollout of an additional 20 next-generation devices was completed in March 2024, meaning every public section prison now has this next-generation equipment.

X-ray baggage scanners have been installed at 49 sites (45 prisons and 4 learning centres) building on the rollout of our X-ray body scanners, gate security and drug trace detection machines.

New airspace restrictions took effect on 25 January 2024 to create 400 metre flight restriction zones around all closed prisons and young offender institutions in England and Wales. These will ensure swift action is taken against criminal drone activity, including the smuggling of illicit items.


Select Committee
Letter from Amy Rees, Chief Executive of HMPPS, dated 19 March 2024 regarding the Follow up to oral evidence session on 5 March 2024

Correspondence Mar. 26 2024

Committee: Justice Committee (Department: Ministry of Justice)

Found: We are committed to addressing the priority and key concerns resulting from the HM Inspectorate of Prisons


Written Question
Prisons: Smuggling
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help prevent drones being used to bring drugs and other illicit goods into prisons.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. We conduct vulnerability assessments across the estate to understand the risk and develop and implement plans to manage and mitigate the threat, including physical countermeasures.

The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 established powers for prisons to authorise the use of counter-drone technology. This Act also enables the police to stop and search those suspected of committing drone-related crimes.

In January this year, we strengthened the legislative framework by introducing Restricted Fly Zones around prisons to disrupt illegal drone use. This strengthens our ability to intercept illicit items being smuggled via drones, and enables the police to fine or prosecute those seeking to undermine prison security.

Recent joint operations with the police and HMPPS have resulted in a number of drone related arrests and disruptions to the activity of serious and organised crime networks. Since June 2016 we have secured over 70 convictions, and those convicted have been sentenced to more than a total of 240 years in prison.


Written Question
Prisons: Offensive Weapons
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many weapon finds there were in prisons in England and Wales in each year sine 2018.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The number of incidents of weapon finds in prisons in England and Wales is published in the HMPPS Annual Digest through the Finds Incidents Data Tool.

The figures include incidents occurring within escort areas. These figures represent the number of incidents where weapons were found - multiple weapons can be found and recorded as one incident.

Weapons drive violence, undermine safety and security and have no place in our prisons.

Our £100 million Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, including reducing the smuggling of illicit items such as weapons, was completed in March 2022. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2023, we have recorded 46,925 positive indications, helping to tackle the smuggling of weapons and other illicit items into prisons. The investment also funded Enhanced Gate Security at 42 high-risk sites, enhancing our routine searching of staff and visitors. 84 X-ray baggage scanners have also been installed at 49 sites to further strengthen our ability to detect the smuggling of illicit items including weapons.

In January this year, we introduced Restricted Fly Zones around prisons to disrupt illegal drone use. This strengthens our ability to intercept illicit items, such as weapons, being smuggled via drones, and enables the police to fine or prosecute those seeking to undermine prison security.


Select Committee
Ministry of Justice Supplementary Estimate Memorandum 2023-24

Estimate memoranda Mar. 06 2024

Committee: Justice Committee (Department: Ministry of Justice)

Found: and four private prisons in England and Wales.


Lords Chamber
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
Report stage - Wed 06 Mar 2024
Scotland Office

Mentions:
1: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Lab - Life peer) Nationality and Borders Act 2022, were arrested, charged and convicted as adults and ended up in adult prisons - Speech Link
2: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) remain focused on doing everything we can to save lives, deter illegal migration and disrupt the people-smuggling - Speech Link


Select Committee
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service, and HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Oral Evidence Mar. 05 2024

Committee: Justice Committee (Department: Ministry of Justice)

Found: Amy Rees: We know the unit cost of our prisons, but some of our new prisons will be under contract,


Non-Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Prison Service Pay Review Body

Feb. 29 2024

Source Page: HMPPS evidence to Prison Service Pay Review Body: 2024
Document: HMPPS evidence to Prison Service Pay Review Body: 2024 (PDF)

Found: They can also be used to film prisons illegally .


Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Ministry of Justice

Feb. 29 2024

Source Page: HMPPS evidence to Prison Service Pay Review Body: 2024
Document: HMPPS evidence to Prison Service Pay Review Body: 2024 (PDF)

Found: They can also be used to film prisons illegally .


Written Question
Prison Officers: Drugs
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers were charged under the (a) Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and (b) Prisons Act 1952 for smuggling drugs into prison in each year since 2018.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The vast majority of prison staff are hardworking and dedicated. A minority of staff engage in corrupt activity which is often as a result of conditioning and manipulation by prisoners.

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and takes appropriate action to the small number of staff and prisoners who break the rules. Our £100 million Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons including reducing the number of staff being manipulated and conditioned by prisoners, is ongoing. This includes increased resource to pursue corruption, as well as established a new ‘Prevent’ function, aimed at building staff resilience against corruption.

a) The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is not a charge associated to offences pursed by the Counter Corruption Unit, which tackles the corruption linked to HMPPS staff and prisoners.

b) The Counter Corruption Unit dataset is specific to charges within the act, notably conveyance. To provide the requested data it would be a disproportionate cost to check individual records to provide an answer to this question.