Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Deferred
Paragraph: 88
Remand prisoners' entitlement to visits not consistently met post-pandemic.
Conclusion
We heard evidence that targets for the number of visits a remand prisoner is entitled to are still not being achieved as prisons are yet to fully emerge from their pandemic regimes. HMPPS should ensure this entitlement is met, including giving consideration as to whether greater use of video facilities set up to communicate with courts could be used to facilitate remote visits where in-person visits are not possible.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepted the recommendation in principle but committed to providing specialised training for prison officers working with remand prisoners, rather than addressing the specific issue of visit entitlements or using video facilities for remote visits.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
88
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
We accept this recommendation. We recognise the importance of maintaining a prisoner’s relationship with family and friends. Strengthening family ties is an integral aspect of the work of MoJ and HMPPS. Governors are accountable for ensuring that the offer of social visits meets the minimum entitlement and seeks to meet as much demand as possible from families and prisoners within the capacity of their regimes. We moved swiftly in 2020 to offer secure social video calling in all prisons as an additional option for families to stay in touch during the pandemic. In line with our commitment in the Prisons Strategy White Paper, secure social video calls are now embedded across the whole prison estate, and they provide another contact option for families, including those with children of all ages, to stay in touch. Prisoners will not be asked to accept a video call in place of a face-to-face visit unless this is their preference. There will be provision in every closed prison for a Pin phone service, delivered over phones in cells by the end of the 2023/24 financial year. Provisions such as the Prison Voicemail and Email a Prisoner services, provided by third party organisations, are available in all prisons, and are another option for families and significant others to stay in touch with people in prison alongside phone and video calls.
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