Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the positive test rate was of random mandatory drug tests in each prison in England and Wales in 2023.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Figures for random Mandatory Drug Testing (rMDT) for 2023 cannot be released at this time, as rMDT data for April 2023 - March 2024 is subject to future publication in the 2023-24 HMPPS Annual Digest, to be published in July 2024.
Mar. 19 2024
Source Page: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2023Found: Estimation process part 1 – matching with prisons remand receptions Magistrates’ court remands data
Mentions:
1: Dowey, Sharon (Con - South Scotland) His Majesty’s chief inspector of prisons recently raised serious concerns about some prisons already - Speech Link
2: Constance, Angela (SNP - Almond Valley) I have answered a number of oral and written questions about Greenock, Highland and Glasgow prisons and - Speech Link
3: Dowey, Sharon (Con - South Scotland) question of whether four drug-detection dogs, which have proved to be an important asset in preventing drugs - Speech Link
4: Constance, Angela (SNP - Almond Valley) However, it is also worth recognising that a pilot operation will commence in April in three prisons - Speech Link
5: Constance, Angela (SNP - Almond Valley) Private prisons are a legacy of previous Administrations, whether that is the Liberal-Labour coalition - Speech Link
Mar. 19 2024
Source Page: Stabilisation, detoxification and other crisis support in Scotland: Service mapping and capacity survey 2022/23Found: Responses to the prison survey were received from 12 of the 15 Scottish prisons.
Mar. 19 2024
Source Page: National Strategy for Community Justice: Delivery Plan: Update 1 - December 2023Found: HMICS), HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS), the Care Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help prevent drones being used to bring drugs and other illicit goods into prisons.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. We conduct vulnerability assessments across the estate to understand the risk and develop and implement plans to manage and mitigate the threat, including physical countermeasures.
The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 established powers for prisons to authorise the use of counter-drone technology. This Act also enables the police to stop and search those suspected of committing drone-related crimes.
In January this year, we strengthened the legislative framework by introducing Restricted Fly Zones around prisons to disrupt illegal drone use. This strengthens our ability to intercept illicit items being smuggled via drones, and enables the police to fine or prosecute those seeking to undermine prison security.
Recent joint operations with the police and HMPPS have resulted in a number of drone related arrests and disruptions to the activity of serious and organised crime networks. Since June 2016 we have secured over 70 convictions, and those convicted have been sentenced to more than a total of 240 years in prison.
Mar. 18 2024
Source Page: Supporting development of a self-harm strategy for Scotland, what does the qualitative evidence tell us?Found: environments’ is perhaps easier to quantify and measure within defined settings such as schools or prisons
Mentions:
1: Lord Bellamy (Con - Life peer) and learned Lord, Lord Stewart of Dirleton, updated the Houses the other day in their Statements on “Prisons - Speech Link
2: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green - Life peer) about tougher sentences and being tougher on crime and the causes of crime, they start packing out the prisons - Speech Link
3: Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab - Life peer) overarching problem of a Prison Service running at capacity while the Government are struggling to build new prisons - Speech Link
Mar. 14 2024
Source Page: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 590, 14 March 2024Found: ) detained in military detention; or (c) detained and serving a sentence in one of His Majesty’s Prisons
Mar. 14 2024
Source Page: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 590, 14 March 2024Found: (b) detained in military detention; or (c) detained and serving a sentence in one of His Majesty’s Prisons