Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of levels of awareness, understanding and compliance with public health guidance among young adult prison leavers.

The Government takes the health and safety of all prisoners, including young adults, very seriously. COVID-19 presents a unique set of challenges that we must address to keep prisoners safe. To mitigate these, we are operating a National Response Model in prisons and an Exceptional Delivery Model across probation.

Good practice on basic hygiene and tackling the virus through social distancing is being promoted by staff, and via communication aids such as posters, throughout the secure estate. Support for young adults who have been released from custody also takes into account Public Health England guidance, and probation services are being delivered through increased supervision via telephone or other digital channels, in place of face-to-face appointments. In addition, support for this cohort continues to be informed by evidence-based information, which recognises that Young Adults have distinct needs relating to their maturity and development.

Bespoke guidance for staff on helping young adults to follow and understand the COVID-19 health guidance has also been made available to Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation (HMPPS) Staff. Probation staff are using this to inform how they have their initial discussions about following the Covid-19 health guidance and to check the young person’s understanding and compliance with it.