Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus

(asked on 21st April 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements are in place in Wales to support prisoners released back into their local communities in response to the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Lucy Frazer Portrait
Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This question was answered on 27th April 2020

In Wales, HM Prison and Probation Service has engaged directly with Welsh Government, local authorities, police, Public Health Wales and local health boards to plan for the release of individuals. In addition, we have established a multi-agency Homelessness Prevention Taskforce to ensure that accommodation issues do not unduly delay the potential release programme and ensure seamless integration of support services such as substance misuse, health and mental health ‘through the gate’.

No offender will be released early without housing and healthcare support being in place. We have issued comprehensive instructions for the process of risk assessing those suitable for discharge under the early release scheme and the management of their discharge. This includes accommodation, police, probation checks as well as the risk management process, pre-release, licence conditions for the End of Custody Temporary Release and standard release, enforcement and electronic monitoring. The number of prisoners who will be temporarily released from Welsh establishments has not been finalised while risk assessments are carried out and support for individuals is arranged.

The Government has agreed that individuals released through the early release scheme will be eligible for Universal Credit (UC) and the associated housing benefit element, where required. Therefore, for those in receipt of UC, the cost of accommodating individuals during this period will be covered through housing benefit. Additionally, where accommodation is secured, which is not eligible for housing benefit, or for which the costs are not fully covered by housing benefit, then HMPPS will cover the cost of the accommodation until the normal end of custody release date.

Reticulating Splines