Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 193
193
Accepted in Part
Accelerate deployment of advanced contraband detection and signal disruption technology with trained personnel
Recommendation
The MoJ must ring-fence funds to accelerate the deployment of advanced contraband detection and signal disruption technology across the prison estate. Crucially, this must be paired with specialised recruitment and ongoing training to ensure personnel are proficient in operating the sophisticated equipment and effectively utilising the resulting intelligence. (Recommendation, Paragraph 112)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, detailing recent tendering for new mobile phone capabilities and efforts to develop guidance and review training packages for staff. It highlights existing dedicated search teams and intelligence analysis capabilities to detect and disrupt contraband, but does not commit to ring-fencing funds.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially accept The threat posed by illicit mobile phones and other contraband within prisons is escalating, and so we have a wide-ranging programme in place to prevent these from entering prisons in order to detect and disrupt their use by prisoners when they are smuggled in, and to investigate cases where a prisoner may have committed an offence. Prisons deploy a range of measures as part of their local security strategies to detect items of contraband, coming into and within prisons. These include enhanced gate security (which includes metal detection archways, handheld detectors, and X-Ray baggage scanners), X-Ray body scanners and frequent searching. HMPPS also use powers under the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2012 to block the use of mobile phones. To strengthen our approach, HMPPS has recently concluded a tender for new mobile phone capabilities and is developing operational guidance and reviewing training packages to support and upskill staff and ensure that equipment is used effectively. We have dedicated search teams and regional resources protected to ensure skilled staff can maximise the impact of countermeasures within our prisons. HMPPS has long established intelligence analysis capabilities at local, regional, and national levels who are trained and capable of utilising the intelligence from the capabilities.