Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average age of the prison estate is; and how many prisons are rated as being in (a) poor and (b) very poor condition.

The average age of a currently operating prison in England and Wales is c. 82 years. In reality, there have been more recent additions/replacements to many existing establishments. Information on the condition of establishments, and how they are rated, is available at: Prison Estate Conditions Survey Programme Summary Information - GOV.UK.