Select committee: Justice Committee
Recommendation 21
5th Report - Ageing prison population
Published 27 Jul 2020
Paragraph 122
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee Ageing prison population All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
An ageing prison population creates specific pressures on the prison system. Currently, the response to these and the treatment of older prisoners is highly inconsistent across the prison estate. Though the Model for Operational Delivery: Older Prisoners contains useful operational guidance, it is not enough to address this inconsistency and ensure the prison system can properly respond to the needs of the older cohorts. With the older prison population likely to rise further in the coming years, the MoJ should produce a national strategy for older prisoners. This strategy should encompass the provision of suitable accommodation for older prisoners, health 48 Ageing prison population and social care on the prison estate, and the release of older prisoners, including continuity of medical treatment or care in the community. It must also ensure that the resourcing and expansion of the prison estate is aligned to projections of the older prisoner population.
From: Justice Committee, 5th Report - Ageing prison population (HC 304), paragraph 122, 27 July 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 17 November 2020 (deadline 27 September 2020).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it recognises the report's themes, has commissioned an older offenders strategy as recommended, and, because that strategy is in development, is "not yet in a position to answer each of your recommendations fully".
- On the national strategy, the government says "We agree that now is the time to produce a national strategy for older offenders", has "commenced work" and will write to the Committee once the strategy is published.
- On accommodation, the government is "considering models for accommodating older offenders as part of the older offenders strategy" and will update further once it is published. It says it will outline its long-term estates plans towards the end of the year and consult the Committee early next year.
- On projections, the government says updated prison population projections are "now due to be published on the 26th November" and will factor in additional police officers and recent sentencing policy changes.
- On telemedicine, NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with HMPPS, and approved software and equipment "has now been procured and rolled out in all English prisons".