Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the opportunities for prisoners to learn a trade at HMP Brixton.

Learning and skills for over 18s in custody in England is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and co-commissioned between NOMS and the Skills Funding Agency. Provision is delivered by education providers via the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) and aims to mirrors provision available in the community. Core elements of the curriculum are literacy and numeracy, vocational training, preparation for employment and personal and social development. Governors decide what should be offered in their prison, based on prisoner needs as well as the needs of employers in the areas into which prisoners will resettle.

HMP Brixton provides a diverse curriculum and opportunities for real work experience – this currently includes subjects covering barista, bakery, barbering, business studies, cleaning, numeracy, literacy, graphics, horticulture, IT, painting and decorating, retail and customer service activities. The current learning offer at HMP Brixton will be changing in the new academic year to be increasingly focussed on vocational training in areas such as hospitality, catering, customer service, retail and horticulture. Guidance will also be available on self employment. Work and learning projects include the Bad Boys Bakery; a new dry lining workshop; and the CLINK Restaurant offering prisoners nationally recognised vocational qualifications to enhance their job prospects after release.