Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average food budget per prisoner per day in prisons in England and Wales.

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) allocates food budgets to prisons on the basis of £2.02 per prisoner per day, which covers the daily prisoner food and beverage requirements.

With increased responsibilities to Governors since April 2017, and devolved budgets to prisons, what is actually spent on food per prisoner per day and the breakdown per meals is ultimately a decision for each Governor and their catering team.

The food budget for prisoners within privately managed prisons is agreed in the contract between the provider and the Ministry of Justice, the details of which are commercially sensitive. This is reviewed regularly.