Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 28
While the secure video calling service is a temporary measure implemented in direct response to...
Recommendation
While the secure video calling service is a temporary measure implemented in direct response to the changes across the estate resulting from Covid-19, the Committee 28 Coronavirus (Covid-19): The impact on prisons believe there is scope for this service to be developed in the long-term and rolled out further across the prison estate. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice make the secure video calling service available permanently across the rest of the prison estate. The Ministry of Justice should provide costings for such extension of this service and set out a timeframe for when this service will be expanded beyond the 10 establishments due to receive it, and how establishments will be prioritised.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states that video calling is available in over 110 prisons and is expected in all establishments by year-end, addressing the expansion. However, it is still exploring the longer-term sustainability of the service and does not provide costings.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
28
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted in Part
We have rolled out video calling at pace, and it is now available in over 110 prisons across the estate. We expect facilities to be available in all establishments by the end of the year. This has ensured that prisoners have been able to maintain contact with family and been crucial to supporting prisoner mental health and wellbeing during the implementation of restricted regimes. We are currently exploring the longer-term sustainability of the service in line with the recommendations of Lord Famer’s reviews.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗