Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to increase the number of private prisons in the West Midlands.

On 26 June 2018 the government reaffirmed its commitment to previously announced plans, subject to planning approvals, value for money and affordability, to build six category C modern prison in the following locations:

• HM Prison Wellingborough in Northamptonshire;
• HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Glen Parva in Leicestershire
• on land adjacent to HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire
• Port Talbot in Neath;
• HMP&YOI Hindley in Greater Manchester;
• HMP&YOI Rochester in Kent

We intend to build the first prison at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, through public capital. We will also continue to demolish the buildings at Glen Parva, Leicestershire, and intend to deliver the second prison there through private finance. We will explore funding routes, including private finance, for the delivery of the remaining 10,000 places.

There are currently no plans to increase the number of private prisons beyond what has already been announced.