Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Deferred
HMPPS lacks understanding of its complex contract management processes.
Conclusion
As the Prisons Minister said, contracts within HMPPS are complex and hard to understand. We are not convinced that HMPPS has a handle on the way it procures its services. Prison Governors are not contract managers and should not be seen or treated as such. (Conclusion, Paragraph 65)
Government Response Summary
The government's response addresses Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) and its expansion, despite the recommendation focusing on HMPPS's procurement and contract management processes for prison governors.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
7 Sentencing Bill: progression measures factsheet - GOV.UK 58. We agree that ROTL is an important tool for rehabilitation and progression, helping prisoners reintegrate and reduce reoffending, for example by allowing suitably risk-assessed prisoners to engage in work with employers in the community. This provides the opportunity to build relationships with employers to boost their job prospects ahead of release. We are, for example, enabling prisoners on ROTL to undertake apprenticeships where they can work and train with an employer and sustain employment with them when released. 59. We keep the policy and operational framework that underpins ROTL under constant review to ensure that it works as effectively as possible in encouraging the rehabilitation of prisoners. As part of this, we are committed to increasing the use of ROTL across the estate in a safe and consistent way, recognising its value in supporting reintegration and readiness for conditional release in the community. 60. As part of this, we are focusing on practical improvements through operational pilots and targeted actions to make ROTL processes quicker, easier, and more consistent. 61. Improving public understanding of ROTL’s role in rehabilitation is important as well as emphasising stringent safeguards that are put in place to ensure the public remain protected. 62. Plans are being developed to improve access to ROTL through pilots for specific cohorts of prisoners in a controlled manner. This would respond to a commitment under the IPP Action Plan 2024/25 (Target 5), which aims to extend ROTL access for IPP prisoners beyond the current pilot at HMP Littlehey. 63. Work is also underway to standardise ROTL paid employment processes across open prisons to improve the time it takes to secure prisoners employment opportunities, improve engagement with employers and increase the number of prisoners accessing and sustaining paid employment whilst in custody and maintaining employment post-release.