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Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Ministry of Justice

Feb. 04 2021

Source Page: UK National Preventive Mechanism annual report: 2019 to 2020
Document: UK National Preventive Mechanism annual report: 2019 to 2020 (PDF)

Found: officers in the adult male prison estate.

Departmental Publication (Policy paper)
Ministry of Justice

Jan. 23 2021

Source Page: Concordat on women in or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System
Document: Concordat on women in or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System (PDF)

Found: both while they are in prison and after they are released.

Departmental Publication (Policy and Engagement)
Ministry of Justice

Jul. 31 2020

Source Page: Review of operational policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation
Document: Review of operational policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation (PDF)

Found: children under 2 in prison July 2020 Review of ope rational policy on pregnancy, Mother

Select Committee
Birth Companions
 Mrs0372 - Unequal impact: Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the impact on people with protected characteristics

Written Evidence Jul. 08 2020

Inquiry: Unequal impact: Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the impact on people with protected characteristics
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Women and Equalities Committee

Found: evidence submitted by Birth Companions (MRS0372)The needs of women facing multiple disadvantage during pregnancy

Select Committee
De Montfort University
 IPE0004 - Improving the prison estate

Written Evidence Jul. 01 2020

Inquiry: Improving the prison estate
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Public Accounts Committee

Found: Our response will cover 4 themes; sentencing, the digital prison, mothers in prison and education in

Select Committee
Equality and Human Rights Commission
 COV0131 - The Government’s response to COVID-19: human rights implications

Written Evidence Jun. 18 2020

Inquiry: The Government’s response to Covid-19: human rights implications
Inquiry Status: Open
Committee: Human Rights (Joint Committee)

Found: new mothers and their babies; and the need for improved data on the numbers and needs of women in prison

Select Committee
Lucy Frazer QC MP (Minister of State at Ministry of Justice), Jo Farrar (Chief Executive Officer at HM Prison and Probation Service), and Naomi Mallick (Legal Director at Ministry of Justice)
 Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service, and Ministry of Justice

Oral Evidence Jun. 11 2020

Inquiry: The Government’s response to Covid-19: human rights implications
Inquiry Status: Open
Committee: Human Rights (Joint Committee)

Found: prison is the appropriate place for her.

Written Question
Bronzefield Prison: Maternity Services
Tuesday 7th January 2020

Asked by: Lord Beecham (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken following the disclosure of incidents involving pregnant women prisoners and their children at HMP Bronzefield.

Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)

The recent incident at HMP Bronzefield is tragic. As there are a number of ongoing investigations, including an investigation by the police, it is not appropriate to comment further on the specific details of the incident.

We are currently undertaking a fundamental review of the Mother and Baby Unit policy and the policy on managing pregnant women in custody. This will conclude in 2020.

In the meantime, all pregnant women are seen by a professional midwife at least fortnightly, or more frequently if required. Healthcare in prisons is provided by specially trained medics and nurses. Medical emergencies are dealt with by 999 calls and prisoners have access to an emergency bell to alert staff at night. Women in prison have access to the same range of services as they would in the community.

Following the events at HMP Bronzefield, we have introduced hourly checks throughout the night for all heavily pregnant women, and fortnightly pregnancy review boards are being held for them, involving a multidisciplinary team, in addition to existing support provisions.

Written Question
Prisoners: Pregnancy
Tuesday 22nd October 2019

Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the death of a baby in custody at Bronzefield women’s prison, what steps his Department is taking improve the care of pregnant women in custody.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

The recent death of a baby at HMP/YOI Bronzefield is a tragic incident and the mother involved is receiving appropriate support.

There are currently eleven investigations underway, including an overarching investigation to be conducted by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO).

There are already a number of steps in place to ensure that pregnant women get appropriate support. These include:

  1. All pregnant women are provided with the local NHS Pregnancy free advice line number.

  2. Fortnightly multi-disciplinary Maternity Boards for all pregnant women.

  3. Ensuring local mid-midwifery services are fully engaged within the prison.

  4. Ensuring appropriate Social Services support, including for those pregnant women who refuse to engage with ante-natal services.

The Prison Group Director for the Women’s Estate has asked prisons to ensure that the above measures are in place at each prison.

An additional safeguard has been put in place. That is that welfare observations on pregnant women who are post 28 weeks will take place every hour during the night.

A Prison Service Instruction sets out the current policy on Mother and Baby Units (MBUs), and the Policy Guidance adjoining the Women’s Policy Framework 2018 contains comprehensive operational guidance on perinatal support to women in custody.

Before this tragic event took place, a review of the MBU policy was already underway and we are now expediting it.

To accompany the policy, a training course for managing pregnant women in custody and MBUs will continue to be available to prison staff supporting pregnant women, or women with children in MBUs.

Departmental Publication (Policy paper)
Ministry of Justice

Nov. 05 2019

Source Page: Government response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights 22nd report
Document: Government response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights 22nd report (PDF)

Found: Twenty -Second Report of Session 2017 -19: The right to family life: children whose mothers are in prison