Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Deferred
Dire prisoner living conditions raise human rights concerns, exacerbated by unclear maintenance backlog plan.
Conclusion
We are shocked by the dire living conditions that many prisoners are living in, and it is deeply concerning to hear that prisons may be in violation of human rights legislation. We accept that the Government recognises this and that it has invested a sizeable amount of funding in repairs and improvements, but it remains unclear how this funding will be used to address the scale of the maintenance backlog. Furthermore, without access to safe, decent, and functional spaces, including those required for rehabilitative activities, prisoners cannot be expected to engage meaningfully in their rehabilitation. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response discusses its existing framework for Governor empowerment (Free, Flex, Fixed) and ongoing review of Governor autonomy, noting the constraints of civil service guidelines, thereby deflecting from the recommendation concerning dire living conditions and the prison maintenance backlog.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Partially Accept. Historic underinvestment and paused projects driven by a rising prison population has worsened the maintenance backlog and left the estate vulnerable to sudden capacity losses. A stable prison estate is essential to wider system ambitions, including reducing reoffending and improving safety and decency. For this reason, we are investing c. £300m for maintenance in 2025/26, up from £225m in 2024/25. The department has secured an overall Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) settlement of £2.3 billion per annum for 2026/27 to 2028/29, and £2.0bn in 2029/30. Of this, £1.2bn each year from 2026/27 to 2028/29 and £1.140bn in 2029/30 is ring-fenced for prison expansion. Specific allocations for prison maintenance will be confirmed through the forthcoming internal allocations process. Spending will be split between Fire Safety Improvement (FSI) programme and general capital maintenance and asset replacement across the estate. Funding allocations are determined through a yearly process, so future capital maintenance spend will be determined year by year. Prison maintenance is not ring-fenced, and the department must balance this with other priorities, including digital infrastructure. Maintenance priorities will always focus first on safety and compliance issues (such as those addressed by the FSI investments). Beyond that, the focus is on maintenance most likely to prevent loss of prison capacity. These priorities are not mutually exclusive – maintenance projects can support both simultaneously.
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