Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when it is planned for the Pava spray pilot be extended to (a) HMP Bedford and (b) other prisons.

The PAVA in Prisons pilot aims to understand whether a reactive presence and deployment of PAVA Spray in custodial settings can complement existing conflict resolution measures and reduce the levels of violence in Prisons to create a safer environment.

The PAVA pilot will last for six months in HMP Hull, HMP Preston, HMP Risley and HMP Wealstun. Existing Band 3-5 Officers at the four sites are trained in its use and this is ongoing during the pilot period as new staff join the four sites. There is currently no decision on extending the number of prisons with PAVA.

The evaluation will conclude in the summer and will inform any decision on the future introduction of PAVA to other prisons.