Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that prisons provide an appropriate standard of (a) care and resources for prisoners and (b) safety for staff.

Healthcare for prisoners is commissioned by the NHS. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) works closely with the NHS, local authorities, Public Health England and Public Health Wales to ensure that all prisoners receive equivalent health and social care provision to people in the community.

NOMS is committed to running safe prisons, keeping the safety and wellbeing of all staff under constant review. Violence of any kind is unacceptable and NOMS is working hard to reduce the incidence of violence in prisons. All assaults are treated extremely seriously, and prisoner who commits an act of violence can expect to have action taken against them.