Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and East Dulwich)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's timeline is for the work to improve digital access across the prison estate.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
A key strategic objective of the 2021-2024 HMPPS Digital, Data, and Technology Strategy is to give the people in our care digital tools and technology to support their rehabilitation, including prisoner education and administration. Within that strategy, we have committed to making laptops available in prisoners’ cells in up to 15 prisons through the In-Cell Technology programme by the end of October 2022. We have now completed deployments to 9 sites, with a further 4 to be completed by October, and we are also refreshing the devices and service in the two original in-cell prisons (Wayland and Berwyn) to ensure they remain secure and supportable. Furthermore, we have now enabled the rollout of the education software, Virtual Campus 2, on in-cell laptops, offering people in prison access to education services while in their cell.
We acknowledge the potential benefits this can bring to prisons, with initial feedback from prisons highlighting the time saved for staff and the benefits to prisoners’ wellbeing, including reducing levels of stress and anxiety. Consequently, we aim to continue our work on this programme and continue rollout to more of the prison estate in the coming years.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons have (a) provision for and (b) operational in-cell devices provided by (i) Coracle and (ii) other providers, broken down by prison.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The total number of prison sites which have provision for, and operational in-cell devices provided by Coracle is currently 21. There will also be approximately 300 more devices being deployed across an additional 20 sites in total by the end of January 2022. The table below breaks down the figures for the number of these in-cell devices by prison.
HMP Belmarsh | 17 |
HMP Buckley Hall | 20 |
HMP Cardiff | 5 |
HMP Full Sutton | 15 |
HMP Guys Marsh | 8 |
HMP Highpoint (North and South) | 18 |
HMP Hollesley Bay | 11 |
HMP Hull | 12 |
HMP Hydebank Wood College | 16 |
HMP Isle of Wight | 20 |
HMP Isis | 15 |
HMP Kirklevington Grange | 10 |
HMP Northumberland | 8 |
HMP Parc | 5 |
HMP Pentonville | 11 |
HMP Prescoed | 2 |
HMP Stocken | 3 |
HMP Swaleside | 12 |
HMP Swansea | 5 |
HMP Warren Hill | 10 |
HMP Whitemoor | 15 |
Total | 238 |
The total number of prison sites which have provision for, and operational in-cell devices by other providers (MoJ D&T managed in-cell technology devices) is currently 8 with an additional 7 sites planned for deployment by the end of 2022. The table below breaks down the figures for the number of these in-cell devices by prison, currently deployed, together with the sites that have the infrastructure deployed, with device and digital services deployment planned for this year:
Site | No. of MoJ managed In-cell Tech Devices | Notes |
|
|
|
HMP Lindholme | 900 | Full deployment under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HM YOI Feltham | 260 | Full deployment under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP/YOI New Hall | 323 | Full deployment under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HM YOI Wetherby | 2 | Deployment in progress under in-cell tech programme |
HM YOI Cookham Wood | 106 | Full deployment under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HM YOI Werrington | 68 | Full deployment under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Wayland | 923 | Full deployment in 2016 |
HMP Berwyn | 1810 | Full deployment in 2016 |
|
|
|
HMP The Mount |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Ranby |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Styal |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Erlstoke |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Stoke Heath |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Garth |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
HMP Swaleside |
| Deployments planned by end of 2022 under In-Cell Tech Programme |
|
|
|
Total devices deployed as of 6/1/2022 | 4392 |
|
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on re-offending of implementing the (a) 2021-2 commitments and (b) 2024 vision set out in that strategy.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data & Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, what the timescale is for the reprocurement of (a) prison video calling software and (b) video conferencing in probation.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data & Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, by what date all youth custody estates will have implemented in-cell technology.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data & Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, how many additional closed prisons are planned to complete their roll-out of in-cell telephony in 2021-2.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data & Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, what estimate he has made of the revenue cost savings for HMPPS of implementing the (a) 2021-2 commitments and (b) 2024 vision.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, which nine prisons will have in-cell technology implemented in 2021-2.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost of implementing the 2024 vision set out in that strategy.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Digital, Data and Technology Strategy, published on 15 June 2021, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the 2024 vision set out in that strategy.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been funded from within our SR20 settlement. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
The work being undertaken in 21/22 has been agreed within current funding. Future funding will be subject to the upcoming Spending Review.
Within 2021-22, In Cell Technology will be implemented at 11 Adult prisons; Lindholme, Ranby, Stokeheath Styal, new Hall, Garth, The Mount, Swaleside, Erlestoke, and refreshed at Berwyn and Wayland.
Part of the work being carried out in 21/22 is the measuring the impact of the implementation of the work, in particular in relation to in-cell technology and digital services. This will inform our understanding of any savings for future years.
We will install in-cell telephony in additional 16 closed prisons by the end of March 2022.
By Mar-22, all YCS sites will have implemented In Cell Technology (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby and Werrington.
The reprocurement process for the Prison Video Calling software (which will allow families to contact prisoners with video calling software) completed last week (w/c 14 June). A preferred supplier has been identified and all bidders have been informed. We expect to sign the contract with the preferred supplier on week commending 28 June 2021 and for the decision communicated publicly after this point.
The current contract under which video conferencing for Probation is provided will continue for another two years. During this time, the provision for future video conferencing will be competed and we will be publishing a procurement pipeline in July 2021 which describes our plan for this.
It's our intention to continue to provide tools and services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use, which we anticipate will free front line staff up to spend more time with those on custodial sentences and under supervision in the community. We continue to work on how to best evaluate the impact of the strategy and the digital and technology implementation in prison and probation.