Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish figures for the number of prisoners who have achieved employment within six months of release after completing a rehabilitation programme, by programme type.

The information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. Internal management information indicates a baseline of 14% of prisoners in employment six months after release. Further validated data will be regularly published in future, with the first update no later than July 2022.

It is a priority for this government to increase the proportion of prison leavers in employment following release. We will deliver a presumption in favour of offering offenders the chance to work in prison, on Release on Temporary Licence and on release. HMP Five Wells, which opened this month, is the first jail to have been designed with education, training and jobs for prisoners on release as its main purposes.

We will also build stronger links with employers. Earlier this month, the Deputy Prime Minister announced plans to roll out Employment Advisory Boards in all 91 resettlement prisons by April 2023. The boards will link prisons with industry and make sure that offenders use their time in prison to gain the skills and links to job opportunities they need to find work on release.

We will also change the law so that prisoners are able to apply for apprenticeship opportunities in vital industries, including hospitality and construction.