Select committee: Justice Committee
Recommendation 29
First Report - Women in Prison
Published 26 Jul 2022
Paragraph 153
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee Women in Prison All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
It is concerning that issues relating to healthcare continue to be a contributing factor to deaths in custody. The MoJ, HMPPS and NHSE/I should set out what work they are doing to: • improve communications between staff across all disciplines in prisons; • improve the response to medical emergencies; and • improve drug management processes. We welcome both the Women’s Review, and the National Mental Health Needs Analysis, which will provide a greater understanding of physical and mental health needs, existing service provision and gaps in service provision. We were concerned to hear that demand for services may be greater than the available provision and that waiting lists are growing, in part due to the pandemic. NHSE/I should also set out the work it is doing (aside from both reviews), to reduce existing waiting lists, and increase service accessibility.
From: Justice Committee, First Report - Women in Prison (HC 265), paragraph 153, 26 July 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 October 2022 (deadline 26 September 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government accepts most of the Committee's recommendations on women in prison, but states it does not accept three: mandatory full written pre-sentence reports, new data collection on custody as a place of safety, and a cross-department accommodation strategy.
- On pre-sentence reports, the government says it "does not accept" making full written reports mandatory for women facing custody, stating the court must already request one "unless it considers it to be unnecessary". A pilot evaluation is to be published in 2023.
- It does not accept the recommendation to collect data on custody as a place of safety, saying a cross-agency group found "no robust source of data" and the focus is on implementing reforms in the draft Mental Health Bill.
- It does not accept the call for a cross-department accommodation strategy "because this is already being delivered through other means", citing the Prisons Strategy White Paper and Beating Crime Plan.
- On new prison capacity, it states the new facilities "will aim to provide 456 additional places" across five women's prisons, with the first women expected in the new facilities "in early 2025".