Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 186
186
Deferred
Align HMPPS personnel vetting requirements with tier-one security agencies and mandate lifelong vetting
Conclusion
HMPPS must immediately commit to aligning its personnel vetting requirements with those of other tier-one security and law enforcement agencies, such as the police. While the nature of the work differs, the threat profile is comparable. This alignment must establish the lifelong vetting model as the minimum operational standard for all staff and require automatic enhanced vetting checks upon any staff transfer to a higher-risk role, particularly those within security or intelligence. (Recommendation, Paragraph 91) 64
Government Response Summary
The government response detailed increased NHS England funding for prison substance misuse services and new priority areas for treatment, completely unrelated to the recommendation for aligning HMPPS personnel vetting requirements.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Committee’s report makes clear that levels of drugs in prisons are too high and tackling this is a priority for HMPPS as set out in the response to chapter 4. This context makes it challenging to understand the drivers of drug use, whether it be environmental or addiction related, to identify true levels of demand for treatment and recovery interventions. To increase pharmacological and psychosocial provision, NHS England has increased the Substance Misuse Service budget by £7million, recurrently, from 2025/26. The funding is targeted into four priority areas increasing both pharmacological and psychosocial interventions to address illicit drug use behaviours. The priority areas are: 1. Increase availability of Long-Acting Buprenorphine (LAB). 2. Increase targeted Psychosocial Interventions 3. Provide targeted NHS Substance Misuse Service into Incentivised Substance Free Living units (ISFL), specifically, group sessions and/or peer support. 4. Increase the availability of Peer Support focused on rehabilitation, both in prisons and as part of the continuity of care RECONNECT model. As part of the implementation of the revised service specification, NHS England will review drug and alcohol treatment services to determine proportionality of intervention to need.