Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Report on an unannounced inspection of HMYOI Cookham Wood, published on 16 November 2021, what steps he is taking to help ensure that an effective violence reduction strategy is implemented at HMYOI Cookham Wood; and if he will establish a timescale for the implementation of such a strategy.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Ministry of Justice is currently preparing an action plan which will be published in due course in response to the HMIP inspection report on HMYOI Cookham Wood. The plan will set out steps being taken to address the issues identified including those to reduce violence and providing children with more access to education.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Report on an unannounced inspection of HMYOI Cookham Wood, published on 16 November 2021, what steps he is taking to help ensure that there is improvement in access to sufficient hours of education at HMYOI Cookham Wood; and if he will establish a timescale for such improvement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Ministry of Justice is currently preparing an action plan which will be published in due course in response to the HMIP inspection report on HMYOI Cookham Wood. The plan will set out steps being taken to address the issues identified including those to reduce violence and providing children with more access to education.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Secretary of State for Transport on the (i) efficacy and (ii) future development of the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy in relation to the illicit use of drones around prisons in England and Wales.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Ministry of Justice is working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones around prisons. My department worked with the Home Office and the Department for Transport to develop the UK Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy (2019). The strategy aims to reduce the risk posed by the highest-harm illegal use of drones. In May of this year, we enacted the Air Traffic and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 (ATUMA). This Act gave new powers to the police including to order a pilot to ground a drone, stop and search people and vehicles, obtain a warrant to search property and, intercept and seize a drone where they have reasonable grounds for suspecting a drone has or is likely to be involved in an offence.
The strategy is due for review next year and, through the cross-government Counter Drones Board, my officials are engaged in ongoing discussions to ensure that the strategy addresses the efficacy of new and existing counter-drone technology, and future options to help tackle the threat posed by drones to our prisons – namely the conveyance of contraband.
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 potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 to enable drone jamming technology to be used in prisons in England and Wales.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 gave HMPPS new powers to authorise the use of counter-drone technology, such as electronic radio frequency jamming devices that interfere with property or wireless telegraphy. Jamming’ technology is a valuable tool in our security response to tackle the threat of drones to our prisons. We also deploy drone detection equipment in our prisons.
We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones. We conduct assessments across the prison estate to understand risk and implement targeted countermeasures such as improved cell windows that make it harder for items to be smuggled in, netting to stop drones from entering prisons, as well as tech-based solutions.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Bronzefield, published on 16 November 2021, whether he plans to implement enhanced gate security measures at any women’s prison in England.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
There are no immediate plans to introduce Enhanced Gate Security (EGS) in the women’s estate. EGS measures provide technical and drug dog aided searching for all staff and visitors to a prison. These have been in place in the high security estate for some years and are now being introduced into 42 adult male prisons under the £100m Security Investment Programme. Sites were prioritised on the basis of conveyance risk associated with prison function, with further prioritisation on the basis of feasibility and value for money.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Bronzefield, published on 16 November 2021, what steps he is taking to reduce levels of self-harm at HMP/YOI Bronzefield.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
As part of the wider Safer Prisons Strategy, HMP Bronzefield has introduced a ‘Wellbeing Hub’ which enables prisoners to constructively express their emotions and develop self-help coping strategies in a dedicated therapeutic and calming environment.
We are working closely with the provider, Sodexo, and a number of initiatives are due to be introduced as part of their self-harm strategy, including multi-disciplinary psychologically informed case management of prisoners displaying prolific self-harming behaviours, new receptions seen in reception by the safer custody team, and the provision of psychological support for staff to help manage their emotional response to self-harming behaviours.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Bronzefield, what budget was allocated to housing support services at HMP/YOI Bronzefield in (a) February 2020 and (b) July 2021.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The new Commissioned Rehabilitative Services went live on 26 June. HMPPS Contract Managers are overseeing the effective embedding of these new contracts and will robustly monitor the performance of providers. Although we are still in the early days of the new contracted provision, we are committed to ensuring that those within our care, including those in custody, receive the support they need to address their rehabilitative and resettlement needs, including through support into Accommodation.
The Probation Service has a new target of housing 90% of prison leavers following their release. We will monitor outcomes and support prison and probation staff to work effectively with other providers to achieve this target. To support this, we have placed a specific focus on improving the consistency and accuracy of data recorded so housing needs can be identified. This includes a new requirement for ‘Accommodation Planned on Release’ to be recorded three months prior to release, so Community Probation Practitioners and Homelessness Prevention Teams can take proactive steps before release with prison leavers at risk of homelessness, including Referral to Local Housing Authorities and working with partners and providers.
In terms of the proportion of sentenced prison leavers from HMP & YOI Bronzefield aged 18 years and over released without safe and secure accommodation, the proportion for February 2020 was 58.3%. Accommodation outcomes for July 2021 are due to be published as part of the Community Performance series for 2021/22 and Prison Performance Ratings for 2021/22 both due to be released in July 2022.
A direct financial comparison between accommodation and housing support services at HMP & YOI Bronzefield before and after 26 June 2021 is not possible because of differences in the way that accommodation support is now provided. The new model in place from 26 June onwards is based on a specialist provider of Women’s Services offering a holistic service, which includes addressing a wide range of issues women face including meeting their accommodation needs and supporting their transition from custody to community. The previous model made use of accommodation support delivered in the prison which supported women up to the point of release.
Additional resource has been introduced through the new specialist housing advisor role in up to twenty prisons, including HMP & YOI Bronzefield. The new role will strengthen links between prisons, resettlement staff and local authorities to improve accommodation outcomes for those at risk of homelessness.
In relation to HMP & YOI Bronzefield specifically, an additional accommodation support worker is being recruited to provide further support to the significant proportion of women who are released to the London area.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Bronzefield, published on 16 November 2021, what proportion of sentenced prison leavers from HMP/YOI Bronzefield were released without safe and secure accommodation in (a) February 2020 and (b) July 2021.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The new Commissioned Rehabilitative Services went live on 26 June. HMPPS Contract Managers are overseeing the effective embedding of these new contracts and will robustly monitor the performance of providers. Although we are still in the early days of the new contracted provision, we are committed to ensuring that those within our care, including those in custody, receive the support they need to address their rehabilitative and resettlement needs, including through support into Accommodation.
The Probation Service has a new target of housing 90% of prison leavers following their release. We will monitor outcomes and support prison and probation staff to work effectively with other providers to achieve this target. To support this, we have placed a specific focus on improving the consistency and accuracy of data recorded so housing needs can be identified. This includes a new requirement for ‘Accommodation Planned on Release’ to be recorded three months prior to release, so Community Probation Practitioners and Homelessness Prevention Teams can take proactive steps before release with prison leavers at risk of homelessness, including Referral to Local Housing Authorities and working with partners and providers.
In terms of the proportion of sentenced prison leavers from HMP & YOI Bronzefield aged 18 years and over released without safe and secure accommodation, the proportion for February 2020 was 58.3%. Accommodation outcomes for July 2021 are due to be published as part of the Community Performance series for 2021/22 and Prison Performance Ratings for 2021/22 both due to be released in July 2022.
A direct financial comparison between accommodation and housing support services at HMP & YOI Bronzefield before and after 26 June 2021 is not possible because of differences in the way that accommodation support is now provided. The new model in place from 26 June onwards is based on a specialist provider of Women’s Services offering a holistic service, which includes addressing a wide range of issues women face including meeting their accommodation needs and supporting their transition from custody to community. The previous model made use of accommodation support delivered in the prison which supported women up to the point of release.
Additional resource has been introduced through the new specialist housing advisor role in up to twenty prisons, including HMP & YOI Bronzefield. The new role will strengthen links between prisons, resettlement staff and local authorities to improve accommodation outcomes for those at risk of homelessness.
In relation to HMP & YOI Bronzefield specifically, an additional accommodation support worker is being recruited to provide further support to the significant proportion of women who are released to the London area.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/YOI Bronzefield, published on 16 November 2021, what steps he is taking to evaluate the impact of the shift in the model for provision of accommodation support services on (a) rough sleeping, (b) homelessness and (c) housing insecurity for prison leavers.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The new Commissioned Rehabilitative Services went live on 26 June. HMPPS Contract Managers are overseeing the effective embedding of these new contracts and will robustly monitor the performance of providers. Although we are still in the early days of the new contracted provision, we are committed to ensuring that those within our care, including those in custody, receive the support they need to address their rehabilitative and resettlement needs, including through support into Accommodation.
The Probation Service has a new target of housing 90% of prison leavers following their release. We will monitor outcomes and support prison and probation staff to work effectively with other providers to achieve this target. To support this, we have placed a specific focus on improving the consistency and accuracy of data recorded so housing needs can be identified. This includes a new requirement for ‘Accommodation Planned on Release’ to be recorded three months prior to release, so Community Probation Practitioners and Homelessness Prevention Teams can take proactive steps before release with prison leavers at risk of homelessness, including Referral to Local Housing Authorities and working with partners and providers.
In terms of the proportion of sentenced prison leavers from HMP & YOI Bronzefield aged 18 years and over released without safe and secure accommodation, the proportion for February 2020 was 58.3%. Accommodation outcomes for July 2021 are due to be published as part of the Community Performance series for 2021/22 and Prison Performance Ratings for 2021/22 both due to be released in July 2022.
A direct financial comparison between accommodation and housing support services at HMP & YOI Bronzefield before and after 26 June 2021 is not possible because of differences in the way that accommodation support is now provided. The new model in place from 26 June onwards is based on a specialist provider of Women’s Services offering a holistic service, which includes addressing a wide range of issues women face including meeting their accommodation needs and supporting their transition from custody to community. The previous model made use of accommodation support delivered in the prison which supported women up to the point of release.
Additional resource has been introduced through the new specialist housing advisor role in up to twenty prisons, including HMP & YOI Bronzefield. The new role will strengthen links between prisons, resettlement staff and local authorities to improve accommodation outcomes for those at risk of homelessness.
In relation to HMP & YOI Bronzefield specifically, an additional accommodation support worker is being recruited to provide further support to the significant proportion of women who are released to the London area.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report, Out of sight: Girls in the Children and Young People’s Secure Estate, published by the Centre for Mental Health on 5 October 2021, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations in that report in relation to (a) girls from racialised communities in the children’s and young people’s secure estate, (b) transitions into the children's and young people's secure estate, (c) girls’ placement far from home, (d) gender-responsive approaches, (e) use of force/restraint with girls, (f) educational, vocational and growth opportunities, (g) self-harm, (h) transitions to adult settings, (i) transition to inpatient settings, (j) residential accommodation issues, (k) workforce issues, (l) girls from LGBTQ+ communities, (m) Mother and Baby Units for teenage girls and (n) research and data monitoring.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
To better understand the needs and care pathways of girls in the youth secure estate, the Youth Custody Service and NHS England & Improvement co-commissioned the Centre for Mental Health to undertake this report. We are considering all the recommendations carefully. The report will inform our strategy for girls and helping us to continue to build a gender-responsive approach to children in custody.
HMI Prisons is conducting a thematic on girls in custody which will also feed into our strategy.
The Ministry of Justice is undertaking and supporting a range of community-based interventions to address underlying causes of offending behaviour by children and young people, including girls. MoJ ministerial and official engagement has contributed to, for example, DLUHC’s Supporting Families programme; DfE’s programmes (such as the Alternative Provision and the Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed taskforces) and on Family Hubs; and DHSC’s Long Term Plan rollout of the Community Integrated Care Framework.
Custody should always be a last resort for all children. Measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will tighten the tests courts must apply in order to remand children in custody and will strengthen community sentencing options. This will better ensure that remand and short custodial sentences are only used for girls where necessary and appropriate. The department is also undertaking a review into youth remand and will publish its findings in due course.