Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing education provision in prisons under public ownership.

We recognise the vital role that education plays in rehabilitation and reducing re-offending. The Government remains committed to delivering high-quality prison education together with work opportunities, ensuring that prisoners can gain essential skills and vocational training to support their reintegration into society.

Prison education is currently delivered through a range of partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Contracts were awarded following a competitive and open process. Two of the three Core Education suppliers are public sector Further Education providers. The Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (PEDPS) sits alongside Core Education contracts and enables Governors to commission provision flexibly from a wide range of suppliers, including many voluntary sector organisations.

A comprehensive evaluation of the Prisoner Education Service is underway to inform ongoing delivery and future improvements.