Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on future overcrowding within prisons of slower progression through indeterminate sentences by prisoners as a result of limited access to (a) legal support, (b) offender managers, (c) release on temporary license and (d) offending behaviour programmes during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the pandemic across all responsibilities of our prisons, including on the progression of Indeterminate Sentence Prisoners (ISPs). Whilst some changes to prison regimes have been necessary due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no evidence that the progression of ISPs has been significantly impaired. Consequently, it would be entirely premature to posit any effect on reoffending rates or future public spending on prisons and probation or overcrowding within prisons. We recognise that anxieties regarding COVID-19 and the regime restrictions required for infection control may increase the risk of self-harm and violence for some prisoners, and we will continue to work to mitigate this risk as far as possible.
Despite necessary restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, legal visits have been prioritised to ensure that ISPs maintain meaningful contact with their legal representatives.
The Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) Model continues to make transformational improvements in the way we support and manage prisoners through their sentence plan. A joint prison and probation Exceptional Delivery Model (EDM) was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure key offender management tasks were completed in line with the regime level of the prison, whilst upholding the ethos of the OMiC Model.
As to be expected, most Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) was suspended in March 2020 to help tackle the threat from Covid-19; however, we have been working with Public Health authorities to support prisons to re-introduce ROTL where it is safe and practicable to do so.
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is reviewing the reduced provision of offending behaviour programmes (OBPs), in order to prioritise access to such opportunities on those who present the highest risk of reoffending on release. When it comes to the parole reviews of ISPs, the Parole Board is presented with a wide range of evidence, not just completion of OBPs, in order to assess whether a prisoner’s risk has been reduced to the point where s/he might be safely release on licence.
The HMPPS Safety Team has produced a range of products to support Governors in devising and implementing local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate risks during the pandemic of disorder, self-harm, suicide and violence. The Team has issued guidance on operating the key safety systems (such the case management models for self-harm and suicide and violence), whilst complying with infection control measures and in the context of staff shortfalls and/or the absence of trained staff. This guidance includes materials to support wellbeing at this particularly difficult time, including a range of in-cell activities.
Finally, I would like to be clear that our primary responsibility is to protect the public. We do not want to keep ISPs in custody any longer than is necessary, but we have a duty to ensure that they are progressed in a safe manner. It remains the case that prisoners serving indeterminate sentences will be released only when the independent Parole Board concludes that the risk to the public is capable of being safely managed in the community under probation supervision.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on future (a) order, (b) self-harm, (c) suicide and (d) violence against staff within prisons of slower progression through indeterminate sentences by prisoners as a result of limited access to (i) legal support, (ii) offender managers, (iii) release on temporary license and (iv) offending behaviour programmes during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the pandemic across all responsibilities of our prisons, including on the progression of Indeterminate Sentence Prisoners (ISPs). Whilst some changes to prison regimes have been necessary due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no evidence that the progression of ISPs has been significantly impaired. Consequently, it would be entirely premature to posit any effect on reoffending rates or future public spending on prisons and probation or overcrowding within prisons. We recognise that anxieties regarding COVID-19 and the regime restrictions required for infection control may increase the risk of self-harm and violence for some prisoners, and we will continue to work to mitigate this risk as far as possible.
Despite necessary restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, legal visits have been prioritised to ensure that ISPs maintain meaningful contact with their legal representatives.
The Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) Model continues to make transformational improvements in the way we support and manage prisoners through their sentence plan. A joint prison and probation Exceptional Delivery Model (EDM) was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure key offender management tasks were completed in line with the regime level of the prison, whilst upholding the ethos of the OMiC Model.
As to be expected, most Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) was suspended in March 2020 to help tackle the threat from Covid-19; however, we have been working with Public Health authorities to support prisons to re-introduce ROTL where it is safe and practicable to do so.
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is reviewing the reduced provision of offending behaviour programmes (OBPs), in order to prioritise access to such opportunities on those who present the highest risk of reoffending on release. When it comes to the parole reviews of ISPs, the Parole Board is presented with a wide range of evidence, not just completion of OBPs, in order to assess whether a prisoner’s risk has been reduced to the point where s/he might be safely release on licence.
The HMPPS Safety Team has produced a range of products to support Governors in devising and implementing local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate risks during the pandemic of disorder, self-harm, suicide and violence. The Team has issued guidance on operating the key safety systems (such the case management models for self-harm and suicide and violence), whilst complying with infection control measures and in the context of staff shortfalls and/or the absence of trained staff. This guidance includes materials to support wellbeing at this particularly difficult time, including a range of in-cell activities.
Finally, I would like to be clear that our primary responsibility is to protect the public. We do not want to keep ISPs in custody any longer than is necessary, but we have a duty to ensure that they are progressed in a safe manner. It remains the case that prisoners serving indeterminate sentences will be released only when the independent Parole Board concludes that the risk to the public is capable of being safely managed in the community under probation supervision.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What steps he is taking to tackle recent trends in the level of self-harm in prisons.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
There are encouraging signs that self-harm has started to reduce in recent months, but it remains a concern.
We have given over 25,000 prison staff better training to spot and prevent self-harm;
We have refreshed our partnership with the Samaritans which supports the Listeners scheme, whereby selected prisoners are trained to provide emotional support to their fellow prisoners;
We have also piloted improvements to Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT), the multidisciplinary case management approach to supporting prisoners thought to be at risk of self-harm or suicide. We are currently planning the resumption of roll-out of the revised ACCT across the prison estate.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged (a) 18, (b) 19 and (c) 20 and who have (i) mental health issues, (ii) instances of recorded self-harm, (iii) made suicide attempts, (iv) drug or alcohol dependency, (v) history of being in local authority care, (vi) history of child sexual exploitation, (vii) history of child criminal exploitation and (vii) other sources of vulnerability were held in custodial facilities where areas were shared with older prisoners during 2019.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Please see the below tables in response to PQ75226, PQ75227, PQ75228, PQ75229, PQ75230 and PQ75231:
PQ 75226: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function and age; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
|
|
|
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
Age |
|
|
18 | 160 | 795 |
19 | 191 | 1,236 |
20 | 211 | 1,595 |
PQ 75227: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function, age and custody status; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
Remand |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 7 | 324 |
19 | 0 | 323 |
20 | 0 | 314 |
Sentenced |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 153 | 467 |
19 | 191 | 905 |
20 | 211 | 1,266 |
Non-criminal(2) |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 0 | 4 |
19 | 0 | 8 |
20 | 0 | 15 |
PQ 75228: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function, age and sex; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
Male |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 160 | 775 |
19 | 191 | 1,193 |
20 | 211 | 1,543 |
Female |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 0 | 20 |
19 | 0 | 43 |
20 | 0 | 52 |
PQ 75229: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function, age and ethnicity group; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
White |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 69 | 448 |
19 | 62 | 727 |
20 | 72 | 934 |
Black |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 45 | 177 |
19 | 72 | 241 |
20 | 90 | 327 |
Asian |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 28 | 68 |
19 | 28 | 128 |
20 | 18 | 161 |
Mixed |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 12 | 76 |
19 | 18 | 102 |
20 | 24 | 137 |
Other ethnic group |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 6 | 20 |
Not stated / Not recorded |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 0 | 6 |
19 | 1 | 6 |
20 | 1 | 5 |
PQ 75230: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function, age and 'Private / Public prison split'; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
Contracted Out ("Private") |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 0 | 168 |
19 | 0 | 233 |
20 | 0 | 293 |
Public |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 160 | 627 |
19 | 191 | 1,003 |
20 | 211 | 1,302 |
PQ 75231: Prison population aged 18-20, by prison function, age and offence group; as at 30 June 2019, England & Wales(3) | ||
| Sole-function under-21 YOIs(1) | Dual-designated prisons |
Total | 562 | 3,626 |
Burglary |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 12 | 79 |
19 | 12 | 114 |
20 | 12 | 152 |
Drug Offences |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 17 | 133 |
19 | 48 | 273 |
20 | 61 | 367 |
Robbery |
|
|
Age |
|
|
18 | 29 | 125 |
19 | 37 | 176 |
20 | 31 | 234 |
Sexual offences |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 10 | 34 |
19 | 10 | 61 |
20 | 6 | 109 |
Violence against the person |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 56 | 233 |
19 | 58 | 303 |
20 | 66 | 370 |
Other offences(4) |
| |
Age |
|
|
18 | 36 | 191 |
19 | 26 | 309 |
20 | 35 | 363 |
In regard to PQ75232 and PQ75233, this information is not held centrally.
Offenders aged 18, 19 and 20 are sentenced to Detention in a Young Offender Institution (DYOI), however the dual designation of institutions as both HMP and YOI means the majority are held in establishment also holding adult prisoners aged 21 or over. Under dual designation, prisoners aged 18,19 and 20 do not share cells with adult prisoners, unless exceptional circumstance apply and on a case-by-case basis. Separation from adult prisoners in other areas of the prison varies by location (including separated wings). There are two designated YOIs for sentenced prisoners aged 18,19 and 20 (HMYOI Feltham (B) and HMYOI Aylesbury). As necessary, these prisoners from YOIs move to an adult prison when they turn 21.
Notes
(1) These figures include Sole-function YOIs and Youth Custody Service (YCS) YOIs. Sole-function YOIs hold solely 18-20 year olds and those that turn 21 who are due for imminent release or who are pending transfer into an adult prison
YCS YOIs hold 15-17 year olds and those that turn 18 who are due for imminent release or who are pending transfer into an 18+ YOI.
The ‘Sole-function YOIs' are:
- HMYOI Aylesbury
- HMYOI Feltham (B) (separate site to the YCS YOI)
The YCS YOIs are:
- HMYOI Cookham Wood
- HMYOI Werrington
- HMYOI Feltham (A) (separate site to the 18-20 YOI)
- HMYOI Wetherby
Other establishments holding 18-20 year olds share facilities with older prisoners ('Dual designated prisons')
More information can be found on the 'Prisons and their resettlement providers' page on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prisons-and-their-resettlement-providers
(2) The ‘non-criminal’ population comprises:
- Those who have served their appropriate custodial term for a criminal offence but are then served with an IS91 ‘authorisation to hold on immigration detention grounds’ (held in prison awaiting deportation).
- Those whose sole offence is not having appropriate immigration paperwork, and so would be held in an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC).
(3) Part (i) of PQ75231 is of disproportionate cost to identify.
(4) Other offences include: 'non-burglary' Theft Offences, Criminal damage and arson, Possession of Weapons, Public order offences, Miscellaneous crimes against society, Fraud offences, Summary offences and 'Offence not recorded'.
Data sources and quality: The figures in these tables have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the the provision of (a) mental health support and (b) other forms of personal advice and support for prison leavers on release during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government takes the mental health and wellbeing of prisoners very seriously. We recognise that anxieties regarding Covid-19 and the regime restrictions required for infection control may exacerbate mental health needs and increase the risk of self-harm among prisoners, we are continuing to work to mitigate this as far as possible.
In response to Covid-19, visits have unfortunately been suspended and people in prison are spending more time in their cells. They are, however, being given access to services including telephone contact with loved ones, access to health services and where possible time in the open air. The Samaritans phone service is being kept available at this time, and we are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the Listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively. We are continuing to provide care and support to people at risk of self-harm or suicide through ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) case management. For those with severe mental health issues, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the process for referral, assessment and transfer to mental health hospitals continues in as normal a way as possible.
As of week commencing 23rd March, all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) have been operating under the obligations within their Exceptional Delivery Models (EDM). As a result CRCs have adapted to an alternative way of working, albeit on a temporary basis, in order to adhere to the social distancing measures announced by the Prime Minister. All CRCs have a responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of their service users during the pandemic. The EDMs are subject to robust assurance and compliance activities, which are carried out by the Authority on a regular basis to ensure that CRCs continue to operate to their contracted obligations and continue to deliver front line probation services to protect the public.
We have invested an additional £22m per annum over the remaining life of the CRC contracts to deliver an enhanced Through the Gate resettlement service to people leaving prison to prepare them for release. The enhanced service includes the requirement that CRCs complete specific, tailored, tasks to help prisoners to secure and maintain settled accommodation, gain employment and manage debt and their financial affairs. During the Covid period most of this support is being provided remotely after CRCs invested in greater use of mobile technology to maintain levels of contact with offenders in the community in a safe and efficient manner. After a prison sentence, service users are supervised and supported by Probation Officers in the Community.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of extended periods under a restricted regime prior to release on the (a) mental health, (b) physical health, (c) relationship with families and others, and (d) prospects for employment of prison leavers.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government takes the mental health and wellbeing of prisoners very seriously. We recognise that anxieties regarding Covid-19 and the regime restrictions required for infection control may exacerbate mental health needs and increase the risk of self-harm among prisoners, we are continuing to work to mitigate this as far as possible.
In response to Covid-19, visits have unfortunately been suspended and people in prison are spending more time in their cells. They are, however, being given access to services including telephone contact with loved ones, access to health services and where possible time in the open air. The Samaritans phone service is being kept available at this time, and we are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the Listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively. We are continuing to provide care and support to people at risk of self-harm or suicide through ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) case management. For those with severe mental health issues, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the process for referral, assessment and transfer to mental health hospitals continues in as normal a way as possible.
As of week commencing 23rd March, all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) have been operating under the obligations within their Exceptional Delivery Models (EDM). As a result CRCs have adapted to an alternative way of working, albeit on a temporary basis, in order to adhere to the social distancing measures announced by the Prime Minister. All CRCs have a responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of their service users during the pandemic. The EDMs are subject to robust assurance and compliance activities, which are carried out by the Authority on a regular basis to ensure that CRCs continue to operate to their contracted obligations and continue to deliver front line probation services to protect the public.
We have invested an additional £22m per annum over the remaining life of the CRC contracts to deliver an enhanced Through the Gate resettlement service to people leaving prison to prepare them for release. The enhanced service includes the requirement that CRCs complete specific, tailored, tasks to help prisoners to secure and maintain settled accommodation, gain employment and manage debt and their financial affairs. During the Covid period most of this support is being provided remotely after CRCs invested in greater use of mobile technology to maintain levels of contact with offenders in the community in a safe and efficient manner. After a prison sentence, service users are supervised and supported by Probation Officers in the Community.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 (1) cases, and (2) deaths, there have been in the UK since 23 March; what steps they have taken to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in prisons; what measures are in place to mitigate the risks of suicide, particularly among young offenders; whether those measures include extending the amount of time prisoners may spend out of their cell each day; and how many low risk prisoners have been released early to reduce overcrowding in cells during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The Government acted quickly to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons by implementing restricted regimes to comply with national social distancing guidance and limiting inter-prisons transfers. Prisons are also implementing a ‘compartmentalisation’ strategy to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. Latest public health advice suggests these measures have contained the spread of the virus and minimised the number of deaths.
As of Friday 12 June, we are aware of 495 prisoner and 963 prison staff COVID-19 cases across England and Wales. These figures reflect the total cumulative number of recorded positive cases – not the number of live cases – of COVID-19, and includes individuals that have since recovered. Figures are subject to revision as more information becomes available.
As of Friday 12 June, 23 prisoners and 9 members of prison staff have sadly died having tested positive for COVID-19 or having shown symptoms. It is a matter for the coroners to determine cause of death.
The restricted regimes introduced to protect prisoners and staff from COVID-19 mean that prisoners are spending longer in their cells than normal which raises new and different risks to safety and the mental health of prisoners. The Government takes its responsibilities for these issues very seriously.
To this end, the Government is supporting prison Governors to devise and implement local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate these safety risks. Prisons across the estate are giving prisoners access to educational and entertainment material intended to support their wellbeing. Prisoners confined to their cells continue to access healthcare and time in the open air, where possible. They also have access to telephones, extra phone credit and, where available, video calls to contact their loved ones. We continue to make the Samaritans phone service available, and are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively.
Within the Youth Custody Service (YCS) there has been a focus on delivering essential activities such as regular phone calls (with young people having been allocated additional free phone credits), access to showers and education materials, and time in the fresh air, as well as activities children can undertake in small groups or in their rooms, including workouts and access to entertainment.
‘SECURE STAIRS’ -the integrated framework of care jointly led by NHS England and NHS Improvement and the YCS, provides the foundations as to how the YCS works with children - has been adopting an approach that underlines the importance of connectivity, whilst adhering to the guidance on physical distancing.
The YCS is continuously assessing the situation, and is keen to expand the regime as soon as it is safe and sustainable to do so.
On 4 April, the Government announced the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme. This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody, as part of the national approach to managing public services during this challenging period. As of Friday 12 June, 113 offenders have been released under this scheme. Our plans for early release form one part of a package of measures to create headroom in the estate to allow us to fully implement compartmentalisation. We are also working to expedite remand cases and temporarily expanding the estate through the installation of single occupancy units.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Answer of 8 June 2020 to Question 53405 on Prisoners: Death, in what format his Department holds the information requested.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Public Health England reports that it does not collect data on the number or proportion of people who served prison sentences and have died of a drug overdose or suicide.
Information on deaths of offenders during post-release supervision in the community after a custodial sentence, by gender and apparent cause in England and Wales is available in the annual publication, ‘Deaths of offenders in the community’, which can be found at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/deaths-of-offenders-in-the-community-annual-update-to-march-2019
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of self-harm have been recorded in women’s prisons since 31 March 2020.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We publish data on the number of incidents of self-harm recorded across the prison estate as part of our Safety in Custody statistics. Figures for the period up to 31st March 2020 will be published on 30th July 2020.
The most recent quarterly figures (up to December 2019), showed an increase in self-harm incidents in women’s prisons with 3243 incidents recorded, compared with 2995 incidents in the quarter up to September 2019.
The level of self-harm in women’s is too high and we are determined to address this. Our women’s estate psychology services (WEPS) have previously developed specialist interventions designed to support the most complex women within our care, and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic they have continued to support both staff and residents where it is safe to do so.
We are continuing to provide care and support to people at risk of self-harm or suicide through ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) case management. We have issued guidance to establishments during the pandemic so they can ensure that ACCT processes continue during the restricted regimes.
Across the prison estate, we have also given over 25,000 staff better training to spot and prevent self-harm and are investing an extra £2.75 billion to modernise prisons, combat drug use and improve the environment in which prisoners live.
As well as this, we have refreshed our partnership with the Samaritans which supports the excellent Listeners scheme, through which selected prisoners are trained to provide emotional support to their fellow prisoners.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of instances in prisons of (a) self-harm and (b) suicide by (i) region, (ii) ethnicity and (iii) gender for each of the last five years.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Please see the attached tables showing the number of instances of (a) self-harm and (b) self-inflicted deaths in prisons by (i) region, (ii) ethnicity and (iii) gender for each of the last five years. Our condolences are with the family and friends of the prisoners who have died.
The figures on self-harm have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level. The figures on self-inflicted deaths are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. As classification of deaths may change following inquest or as new information emerges, numbers may change from time to time.
Far too many prisoners are self-harming or taking their own lives and it is one of the reasons we introduced the key worker scheme in 2018, supported by the recruitment of extra prison officers, so that every offender can get dedicated support and have someone to talk to.
We have also given over 25,000 staff better training to spot and prevent self-harm and are investing an extra £2.75 billion to modernise prisons, combat drug use and improve the environment in which offenders live.
As well as this, we have refreshed our partnership with the Samaritans, awarding a grant of £500k each year for the next three years. This supports the excellent Listeners scheme, through which selected prisoners are trained to provide emotional support to their fellow prisoners.