Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 198
198
Accepted
Ensure uniform security standards throughout the prison estate to mitigate all potential ingress risks.
Recommendation
Security measures must acknowledge the principle of displacement; as one route is closed, efforts must then be made to proactively mitigate risks across the full range of other potential ingress methods by ensuring uniform security standards throughout the prison estate. (Conclusion, Paragraph 120) 66 Support for prisoners
Government Response Summary
The government appreciates the committee’s focus on security, detailing ongoing investments of over £40 million in physical security, widespread deployment of X-ray body scanners, and new legislation creating drone 'no-fly zones'. They continue to work closely with law enforcement to tackle contraband.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We appreciate the Committee’s focus on security within our prisons and wish to emphasise the significant steps taken to strengthen our defence against the supply of drugs, often fuelled by Serious and Organised Crime (SOC). This financial year, MoJ is investing over £40 million in physical security across 34 prisons, including £10 million on anti-drone measures, to help prevent drugs entering prisons. This includes window replacements, external window grilles and specialist netting across 15 priority prisons. X-ray body scanners are now in place across all prisons in the closed adult male estate, with over 53,000 positive indications as of March 2024. In addition to this, new legislation in 2024 introduced 400m drone ‘no-fly zones’ around prisons and young offender institutions, supporting police and prison staff to disrupt illegal drone use. MoJ continue to work closely with law enforcement to tackle the problem of contraband in prisons. Notably, earlier this year, the Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA) directed police chiefs nationally to work with HMPPS to jointly tackle the threat drones pose, helping to prevent drugs and contraband entering prisons.