Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Deferred
Statutory minimum time out of cell remains consistently unmet in prisons.
Conclusion
It is unacceptable that the statutory minimum for time out of cell is not being met, which means that prisoners either do not have access to basic needs, such as a shower or time in fresh air, or must choose between those or engaging in rehabilitative activities. Whilst we support the Government’s 83 ambition to go beyond the minimum, the immediate priority must be ensuring that all prisons consistently meet their legal obligations. Without this, rehabilitation is severely compromised. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)
Government Response Summary
The government's response details rehabilitation programs for perpetrators of domestic abuse and sexual offences (VAWG), but does not address the recommendation about ensuring all prisoners consistently meet the statutory minimum for time out of cell.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
72. The Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. We have published our VAWG Strategy which sets out our plan to do just that, including bearing down on perpetrators so they do not reoffend. 73. Effective rehabilitation of those who have perpetrated domestic abuse or sexual offences must include services and activity that address those individual risks and needs. HMPPS uses a wide variety of tools to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence, such as: • The “Building Choices” accredited offending behaviour programme, which takes a person-centred, strengths-based approach by targeting areas of criminogenic need. Studies have shown that accredited programmes can reduce average reoffending rates by anywhere from 5-36% depending on various factors including the programme being delivered, the quality of programme delivery and the responsiveness of participants. • Democratic Therapeutic Communities (DTCs), an accredited intervention that includes intensive group psychotherapy for those with complex emotional and interpersonal problems, who have often committed violent offences, including domestic abuse. DTCs are part of a wider pathway of intervention services that works with high-risk, high-harm individuals who are likely to meet the clinical threshold for a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’, the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, which HMPPS delivers jointly with the NHS across England and Wales. • Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal, which can be used by offenders with ongoing clinical needs who may continue to pose a risk of harm to others because their sexual offending behaviour is driven by obsessive thoughts about sex and display compulsive sexual behaviour. Building on an existing feasibility pilot in the South West of England, the Government is extending and expanding the pilot to the North West and North East regions, with further work taking place to establish the viability of a future national rollout and mandatory treatment. 74. In response to a recommendation in the Justice Select Committee’s Tackling the Drugs Crisis in our Prisons report, the Government has already committed to providing the Justice Select Committee with a progress update on the manifesto commitment to improve access to purposeful activity in April 2026, which is crucial to reducing reoffending.