Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what processes are in place to prevent drugs being smuggled into prisons by (a) staff, (b) offenders and (c) visitors.

In the Prisons Strategy White Paper, we committed to a zero-tolerance approach to crime in prisons. Our £100m Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, was completed in March 2022. The programme included a range of security measures to reduce drug conveyance.

This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2022, we had recorded 28,626 positive indications, helping to tackle the supply of drugs into prisons.

Airport-style Enhanced Gate Security has been deployed to 42 high-risk prison sites, implementing routine searching of staff and visitors through the use of drug dogs and metal detectors. We have also installed 76 baggage scanners at 45 high-risk prisons.

To prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs such as psychoactive substances through the mail, we have deployed 95 new, next generation trace detection machines.

The Security Investment Programme also funded the expansion of our Counter Corruption Unit. The priorities of this unit are to prevent staff from engaging in corruption, strengthen their professional integrity and pursue and punish corrupt staff.