Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of prisoners escaping custody.

Public protection is our top priority and we take escapes and absconds from custody extremely seriously and any escape is thoroughly investigated by a senior HMPPS operational leader.

HMPPS has established a Security Risk Unit to establish lessons from security failings and successes, provide specialist support and advice to frontline colleagues and ensure practice is reviewed and enhanced. The Unit is working in close collaboration with public and private prisons, providing them with the tools required to ensure risks are rigorously assessed, appropriately prioritised and robustly managed.