Select committee: Justice Committee
Recommendation 12
Seventh Report - The role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system
Published 17 Jan 2023
Paragraph 69
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee The role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We have not heard compelling evidence to support the creation of dedicated remand prisons in England and Wales—such prisons can be difficult to govern and run effective regimes within. However, some prisons are now at risk of becoming dedicated remand prisons by default as non-remanded prisoners are moved to other types of prison in order to cope with the capacity pressures caused by the growing remand population. The Ministry of Justice should set out whether this is its policy intention; and if it is not, then HMPPS needs to take steps to reduce the remand population in some of its prisons. We note also that Category B prisons often represent the worst of the prison estate, with poor, overcrowded conditions and staffing difficulties. We also recommend that as the Government invests in its prison- building programme, funding must also be allocated to deliver an improvement in conditions in the Category B estate.
From: Justice Committee, Seventh Report - The role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system (HC 264), paragraph 69, 17 January 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 31 March 2023 (deadline 17 March 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the report, says it is "already undertaking work on the majority" of the recommendations, and that some are accepted partially or in principle while others are "not within the Government's gift to accept".
- It rejects a rapid review of Crown Court case levels, saying that the potential effect on the remand population "has been modelled within our published prison population projections".
- On magistrates' training and pronouncement templates, it rejects the recommendations, saying that as the judiciary is independent it is "not appropriate for the Government" to direct training or review materials.
- It rejects a review of the legal framework for custody time limits, stating that the framework "is clear and effective" and that "There is no intention to review" it "at this time".
- On a Bail Information Service roll-out, it partially accepts, anticipating a dedicated and proactive service "could be rolled out to all courts and prisons from Summer 2023, subject to funding", with robust data published in early 2024 as its aim.