Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Deferred
Access to meaningful activities and short courses for remand prisoners is inadequate.
Conclusion
Although we recognise that those held on remand are under no obligation to engage with prison regimes, they should be encouraged to take part in meaningful activities and HMPPS needs to ensure that prisons with high remand populations have opportunities available for those held in them to utilise if they so desire. We welcome the increasing availability of shorter courses for those not anticipated to be in prison for long periods of time to take part in, and recommend that the Ministry of Justice ensures that such courses are in place in all Category B prisons by the end of
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepted the recommendation, but the response discussed various initiatives related to bail decisions for women, mental health remand reforms, and probation resettlement services, only vaguely committing to update the Committee on extending Commissioned Rehabilitative Services for women, without addressing meaningful activities or short courses in Category B prisons for remand prisoners.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
We accept this recommendation. All Category B prisons undertake a needs analysis when designing their curriculum offer and an annual delivery plan is agreed each year between the establishment and the education provider. Governors work with their regional Heads of Learning and Skills to ensure they are designing the right provision for their population. Curriculum guidance and support is available to all establishments and that support and guidance reflects the need for short courses to be in place, according to the needs of the prison population. Ongoing assurance activity by HMPPS contract management team will check that Category B establishments are complying by June 2023.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗