Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made to ensure that contracted sites are compliant with national strategies for management and progression of prisoners subject to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, further to the Joint IPP Action Plan, published by Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service and the Parole Board in June 2019.

The IPP Action Plan is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is responsive to the needs of those serving IPP sentences, whether in prison or in the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with measures mandated in the interests of public health, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) implemented exceptional delivery models which inevitably had some impact on all operational work. A large number of IPP prisoners have been released each year since the IPP Action Plan first introduced in 2016, and the Plan will be refreshed, reviewed and republished after careful consideration of the forthcoming Justice Select Committee’s Report and recommendations.

A progression unit for prisoners serving IPP sentences with a conviction for a sexual offence has been open at HMP Littlehey for the last three years. The unit provides an environment where prisoners feel safe and receive support to focus on their progression. As with the other workstreams within the IPP action plan, HMPPS will review the progress of the unit this year, which will also take account of any relevant aspects of the report and recommendations of the Justice Select Committee.

HMPPS continue to engage with senior managers in prisons run under contract, to ensure that the IPP Action Plan initiatives are reflected in their delivery plans. For example, each contracted site has an IPP single point of contact for Psychology Services.