Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has in place to reduce the number of hours inmates are locked in their cells following the easing of covid-19 restrictions.

Our strategy for managing Covid-19 in prisons continues to be guided by our National Framework, which sets out the basis for decisions on the necessary level of Covid controls over time. We have continued to adjust Covid controls in prisons as the risk has changed during the pandemic and will transition prisons off the National Framework when it becomes safe to do so.

As restrictions are lifted in the country at large, we are supporting prisons to remove Covid controls where possible, helping rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. We must also, however, continue to safeguard the health of those in our care, taking account of public health advice, and of the conditions which apply in prisons.