Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Paragraph: 27
It is vital that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family and friends, particularly...
Conclusion
It is vital that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family and friends, particularly at such an uncertain time. Family contact is essential to a prisoner’s wellbeing and resettlement, and we welcome measures taken to ensure that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family. We welcome the decision to provide 900 locked mobile handsets, and we are pleased to note that the trial of secure video calls at HMP Berwyn was successful and will now be available at 10 establishments.
Paragraph Reference:
27
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
HMPPS fully recognise the importance of maintaining family contact for prisoners. This is why we quickly introduced video calling when the exceptional circumstances meant social visits were temporarily suspended in March and where they continue to be suspended owing to local or national restrictions. Building from the initial pilot at HMP Berwyn and 10 early adopter establishments, we have continued to roll out video calling which are now available in over 110 prisons and we expect facilities will be available in every establishment by the end of the year. Prisoners have also been provided with additional PIN telephone credit, and the mobile PIN phone handsets for those without in-cell phones, to facilitate contact with friends and families alongside the range of existing ways that families and prisoners can stay in touch. We are also doing everything we can to run social visits in a Covid secure manner where regime and local tiering allows, but we recognise we will continue to need to temporarily suspend visits in some establishments in order to keep prisoners, their families and staff safe.