Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how soon he is informed of deaths in prisons.

The death of a prisoner or of any other person must be reported immediately to HMPPS HQ by telephone. That report must then be followed up with a written report within 24 hours (or, at weekends, by the following Monday). In the case of a deceased prisoner, the prison must also report the death to the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman in writing, within 24 hours. Reports to HMPPS are sent daily to Ministers’ offices and to the relevant officials in my Department, including the team who oversee the progress of the Ombudsman’s investigations.