Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2020 to Question 98913 on Prisons: Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to Prison Education Framework provider staffing levels on levels of service delivery by those providers.

As previously stated, all Prison Education Framework (PEF) providers are contracted to provide a service and, so long as they provide this, the staffing of the service and the PEF providers’ management of their staff is a matter for them and not the MoJ.

Since the introduction of restrictions due to Covid-19 we have been working with all PEF and Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) providers to support prisons. This has allowed us to enable learning to continue via in cell activity, distraction material and learning packs. PEF providers are now submitting revised curriculum plans, in consultation with each establishment, to ensure delivery of their services during this difficult time and to meet the needs of their learners.

All PEF provider delivery and performance is regularly monitored via monthly and quarterly management meetings.