Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Prevention of Future Death reports his Department has received from coroners relating to deaths in prison in the last three years; and what assessment he has made of whether the recommendations from those reports were collated, reviewed and implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Since January 2017 85 Prevention of Future Death (PFD) reports have been addressed to my Department by Coroners following inquests held into deaths occurring in prison custody.

We are committed to learning from the findings of inquests into deaths in custody, and I am grateful to Coroners who make PFD reports after them. All such reports addressed to my Department are collected centrally in HMPPS, and careful consideration is given to the matters of concern raised in them.

The Director General for Prisons responds personally to the Coroner in each case, explaining how the concerns raised have been, or will be, addressed, locally in the establishment, and at national level where there is wider learning to be shared or a policy issue has been raised. Any local actions are taken by the Governor and monitored by the Prison Group Director, and wider learning is disseminated nationally by the central prison safety team and incorporated into the relevant guidance and policy at the earliest opportunity.