Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to obligate prisons to complete a readiness assessment prior to the introduction of PAVA incapacitant spray.

The current guidance for PAVA, which will go on to form part of the wider Use of Force policy framework in due course, includes the requirement for all prisons to complete a readiness assessment prior to commencing rollout activity. This is a one-off activity, intended to help support a prison prepare for their introduction of PAVA.