Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the current restricted operational capacity of HMP Milsike relative to the total number of cells at the prison.

As of 2 September, 1158 places at HMP Millsike are in use. The maximum capacity of the prison is 1468. Occupancy will increase when it is operationally appropriate to do so. The pace of prisoner intake is kept under review by H M Prison & Probation Service, to take account of operational demands.

Increases in occupancy of new prisons are phased and managed carefully to ensure that the prison remains safe, secure and stable as numbers increase. This approach recognises that the opening of a new prison is an inherently challenging period, as staff adapt to a new site and establish its culture, regime and processes.