Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations she has received on the issue of self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

The Government believes that prisons should be places of safety and reform. The number of self-inflicted deaths is extremely concerning and we are committed to reducing it.

We frequently have the opportunity of discussing these issues with members of this House and in the other place. We actively engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including through the Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody, membership of which includes the regulatory bodies, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, as well as voluntary sector groups such as the Howard League for Penal Reform, Inquest and the Prison Reform Trust. Our approach is informed by the work of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, and we also meet regularly with key partners such as the Samaritans.