Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Question 13 of oral evidence taken before the Justice Committee on 24 October 2023, HC 1929, Session 2022–23, on what date the policy of detached duty was introduced; and for how long it is planned to continue.

Provision for detached duty is made in the Prison Service Instruction on Travel and Subsistence, which can be found at: PSI 15/2012 Travel & subsistence policy. This was published in 2012 and re-issued in 2013.

We have no record of when the detached duty policy was first introduced, as it predates the creation of the Ministry of Justice in 2007. We understand, however, that detached duty may have been in place since the 1980s.

Staff are deployed on detached duty as a tactical response to support other prisons when required, to cover staffing shortfalls, or to meet other operation requirements. It provides H M Prison & Probation Service with a vital contingency measure to assist in maintaining good order and security in prisons. There are no plans to withdraw it.