Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value is of penalty charges imposed on Serco for underperformance in relation to its electronic tagging contract since November 2023.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Serco’s performance is not good enough, and last year’s backlog of outstanding visits has been substantially reduced. We will continue to hold Serco to account and will not hesitate to impose further contract penalties, where necessary, to drive performance improvement.
The Ministry of Justice believes that the information is commercially sensitive and releasing this information would prejudice, or would likely prejudice, Serco Group Limited’s commercial interests.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, since the general election, what (1) number, and (2) proportion, of prisoners released early have been electronically tagged; and what assessment has been made by the Ministry of Justice and its arm's-length bodies as to whether Serco has had sufficient capacity to tag all the prisoners who it was originally deemed should be tagged.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data on SDS40 releases forms a subset of data intended for future publication. The number of prison places projected to be saved by SDS40 releases are set out in the Impact Assessment (between 4,600 and 5,900 prison places for the male estate).
Serco had sufficient capacity in terms of both equipment levels and resources to tag all those being released from custody with an Electronic Monitoring requirement under this scheme. As with all releases from custody, prior notification was issued to Serco with licence notification paperwork to identify numbers and locations of those requiring tagging.
By 04 November, all required visits to attempt tag installation for SDS40 cases had been made.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The Ministry of Justice awards contracts to suppliers following a rigorous procurement activity. The successful supplier will be able to provide the goods and services provided with the best value for money to the taxpayer.
The total value of contracts for G4S, Serco and Capita which were held by the Department and Active in the years since 2020, 2021 and 2022 are shown in the following tables:
a) G4S:
Year | Total Value of all Active Contracts |
2020 | £862,754,245 |
2021 | £688,029,750 |
2022 | £1,054,103,396 |
b) Serco:
Year | Total Value of all Active Contracts |
2020 | £1,346,038,866 |
2021 | £1,038,139,364 |
2022 | £1,335,153,142 |
c) Capita:
Year | Total Value of all Active Contracts |
2020 | £563,991,975 |
2021 | £567,722,435 |
2022 | £567,722,435 |
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) fines and (b) other financial penalties have been paid to his Department by (i) Serco and (ii) Serco subsidiaries for failures to meet contractual obligations in each year since 2010.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
This PQ has been interpreted to mean the level of financial remedies that the Ministry of Justice has been in receipt of from Serco, or Serco subsidiaries, in relation to failure to meet contractual performance obligations since 2010.
The Ministry of Justice has been in receipt of the following financial remedies from Serco in relation to failure to meet contractual performance obligations since 2010: We manage all of our contracts with Serco robustly and deal with any performance issues in accordance with the mechanisms of the contracts. Overall our Serco Contracts perform well and the performance management mechanisms in our contracts are effective in addressing any performance concerns.
For privately managed prisons the total value of financial remedies imposed for each financial year has been provided and is included in the below table:
Financial Year | Value of Financial Remedy |
2010/2011 | £35,982 |
2011/2012 | £44,636 |
2012/2013 | £42,337 |
2013/2014 | £190,521 |
2014/2015 | £293,203 |
2015/2016 | £357,040 |
2016/2017 | £568,471 |
2017/2018 | £162,717 |
2018/2019 | £91,703 |
2019/2020 (Q1 reported only | £0 |
For the Prison Escort and Custody Service (PECS) the total value of financial remedies imposed for each financial year has been provided and is included in the below table:
Financial Year | Value of Financial Remedy |
2010/2011 | £157,000 |
2011/2012 | £315,000 |
2012/2013 | £207,000 |
2013/2014 | £478,000 |
2014/2015 | £578,000 |
2015/2016 | £625,000 |
2016/2017 | £525,000 |
2017/2018 | £445,000 |
2018/2019 | £210,000 |
2019/2020 (Year to date) | £9,000 |
For the Hassockfield STC the total value of financial remedies imposed for each financial year has been provided and is included in the below table:
Financial Year | Value of Financial Remedy |
2010/2011 | £0 |
2011/2012 | £0 |
2012/2013 | £990 |
2013/2014 | £2,250 |
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many contracts his Department has awarded to Serco since July 2013; and what the value is of those contracts.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The Ministry of Justice has awarded no contracts to Serco since July 2013.
Serco has however been successful in its bid to be a supplier on the Prison Operator Services Framework which was executed on the 4th July 2019. There is no financial value nor commitment of work to the Framework itself. The first competition on this Framework will be for the contract to provide custodial services at HMP Wellingborough. Serco will be entitled to bid for this contract.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2019 to Question 237103 on Prisons: Security, what financial contribution was made by (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Sodexo to support the installation of X-ray body scanners at each of the establishments they operate.
Answered by Rory Stewart
I am unfortunately unable to disclose any financial information in relation to the provision of these scanners within the prison estate as it is commercially sensitive. The Ministry of Justice is currently engaged in a procurement exercise to enable future purchase of this equipment and any declaration of cost and values may prejudice the outcome of this exercise.
I am able to confirm, however, that the Ministry of Justice funded the purchase and installation of the scanners for all public sector prisons but did not contribute to the cost of purchase or install of the equipment for any of the privately-managed prisons.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the value is of all current contracts agreed by his Department and (a) G4S and (b) Serco.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The value of contracts that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has with (a) G4S and (b) Serco are as follows:
(a) G4S:
Five contracts as a direct supplier totalling £961,685,342
Contract | Main Contractor | Contract Start Date | Contract End Date | Total Contract Value | |
Total Facilities Management Work Package A - HMCTS Wales, Midlands, NE, NW, Newbold Revel, MoJ Shared Service Centre |
| 01/02/2012 | 31/10/2019 | £174,724,495 | |
Contract for the Provision of a Custodial Service at HMP Birmingham | G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd | 13/04/2011 | Was: 30/09/26 | £419,031,097 | |
Provision of Custodial Services at HMP Oakwood | G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd | 13/04/2011 | 23/04/2027 | £330,429,750 | |
Provision of Electronic Monitoring Hardware (Business as Usual) | G4S Monitoring Technologies Ltd | 04/11/2016 | 03/11/2019 | £15,000,000 | |
Contract to supply electronic monitoring services, including related infrastructure, firmware and software, | G4S Monitoring Technologies Ltd | 10/11/2017 | 09/09/2021 | £22,500,000 |
*This was the full contract award value for HMP Birmingham. This contract is being terminated in June 2019 and HMP Birmingham is returning to public sector management.
There are also four contracts where G4S are the operator but the direct contract relationship is with a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under PFI contracts totalling £3,740,096,934
Contract | Operated By | Contract Start Date | Contract End Date | Total Contract Value |
HMP Altcourse | G4S Care and Justice Services | 01/12/1997 | 31/05/2023 | £1,213,636,422 |
HMP Parc | G4S Justice Services | 15/12/1997 | 14/12/2022 | £1,534,747,827 |
HMP Rye Hill | G4S Justice Services | 21/01/2001 | 20/01/2026 | £520,112,727 |
Oakhill Secure Training Centre | G4S Justice Services | 18/08/2004 | 26/06/2029 | £471,600,000 |
(b) Serco
Three contracts as a direct supplier totalling £601,025,934
Contract | Main Contractor | Contract Start Date | Contract End Date | Total Contract Value |
Facilities Lease with Sport England - Clayton Hall | Serco | 20/03/1991 | 19/03/2041 | £11,250,000 |
Provision of the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service | Serco | 29/08/2011 | 28/08/2020 | £307,928,119 |
Contract for the Provision of a Custodial Service at HMP and YOI Doncaster | Serco | 13/04/2011 | 30/09/2026 | £281,847,815 |
There are also four contracts where Serco are the operator but the direct contract relationship is with a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) as these are PFI contracts totalling £2,967,841,973
Title | Operated By | Contract Start Date | Contract End Date | Total Contract Value |
HMP Thameside | Serco | 30/03/2012 | 21/12/2036 | £937,000,000 |
HMP Ashfield | Serco | 01/11/1999 | 31/10/2024 | £332,634,326 |
HMP Dovegate | Serco | 09/07/2001 | 08/07/2026 | £1,011,462,320 |
HMP Lowdham Grange | Serco | 16/02/1998 | 15/02/2023 | £686,745,327 |
The MoJ regards well-managed contracts as fundamental to the proper functioning of the justice system, and a vital part of court and prison reform plans. The provision of services by contractors plays an important role in the Criminal Justice System and relevant action will be taken to ensure this service.
The MoJ holds providers rigorously to account for their performance and takes action wherever they are falling short. Our contract management teams closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery.
Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many contracts which his Department has open for tender Serco is bidding on.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The information requested could not be provided as it is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which Minister of his Department has responsibility for liaising with the Serious Fraud Office in relation to their ongoing criminal investigation into Serco.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Where concerns are raised by the Serious Fraud Office that relate to the activity of private providers contracted by the Ministry of Justice, it is the lead Minister with responsibility for the area in question that will lead the liaison with the Serious Fraud Office. In relation to the current investigation, as this is an issue in Rory Stewart’s area – he will act as the lead Minister.
No meetings between Serious Fraud Office officials and MoJ Ministers took place in 2017.
The total number of meetings between Ministry of Justice Ministers and Serco in 2017 was 4, this excludes ministerial visits to sites operated by Serco.
In 2017 David Lidington met Serco officials on two occasions as did Sam Gyimah.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings with Serco did each Minister of his Department have in 2017.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Where concerns are raised by the Serious Fraud Office that relate to the activity of private providers contracted by the Ministry of Justice, it is the lead Minister with responsibility for the area in question that will lead the liaison with the Serious Fraud Office. In relation to the current investigation, as this is an issue in Rory Stewart’s area – he will act as the lead Minister.
No meetings between Serious Fraud Office officials and MoJ Ministers took place in 2017.
The total number of meetings between Ministry of Justice Ministers and Serco in 2017 was 4, this excludes ministerial visits to sites operated by Serco.
In 2017 David Lidington met Serco officials on two occasions as did Sam Gyimah.