Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to promote learning in prisons.

We are making ambitious reforms to education, as set out in the ‘Education and Employment Strategy’ published in May. This means that, from next April, prison governors will have direct control of their education budgets, will decide the curriculum and will have chosen the provider(s) of their education, promoting learning that best meets the needs of their prisoners.

Alongside the Prison Education Framework, we have launched a Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), with over 170 education providers offering a huge range of learning and skills. It is through the DPS that prisons will secure Information, Advice and Guidance which enables prisoners to make informed choices about their education and future employment options.