Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
6th Report - Tackling the drugs crisis in our prisons
Justice Committee
HC 557
Published 31 October 2025
Recommendations
171
Deferred
Ensure mandatory specialised training for all HMPPS staff in substance misuse and trauma-informed care.
Recommendation
The Government must urgently accelerate and broaden the scope of training under the ‘Enable Programme’ to ensure all HMPPS staff, particularly prison officers, receive mandatory, specialised training in substance misuse, trauma-informed care and drug dependency. This training should be a …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on robust security measures to prevent drugs entering prisons, including drug trace detection equipment and X-ray body scanners, and continuously reviewing substances for testing. It does not address the recommendation to accelerate and broaden staff training on substance misuse and trauma-informed care via the Enable Programme.
Ministry of Justice
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175
Deferred
Mandate consistent and comprehensive training for all frontline staff on responding to medical emergencies.
Recommendation
HMPPS must mandate that all frontline staff receive consistent, up-to- date and comprehensive training in responding to medical emergencies. The current inconsistency in staff preparedness is unacceptable. All staff should be required to complete training on how to identify and …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses strengthening personnel vetting processes, including re-vetting staff every three to five years and improving information sharing, rather than addressing the recommendation for consistent medical emergency training for frontline staff.
Ministry of Justice
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179
Deferred
Require balancing prisoner punishments with mandatory drug treatment referrals and resourcing consistent adjudications
Recommendation
We recommend that punishments, such as the loss of privileges, are balanced with a mandatory referral to drug treatment services. This ensures that individuals are held accountable while also directed towards the support they need to break the cycle of …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response outlines measures to prevent and detect illicit mobile phones and contraband, including new mobile phone capabilities and updated operational guidance, rather than addressing the balance of punishment with drug treatment referrals or resources for drug-related adjudications.
Ministry of Justice
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181
Deferred
Allocate dedicated capital funding for advanced prison detection technology and software updates
Recommendation
The Government must allocate dedicated capital funding for the accelerated acquisition and maintenance of advanced trace detection technology and full-body scanners in all prisons. This investment must include a mandated requirement for rapid, regular software library updates for all drug …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses managing prisoners linked to Organised Crime Groups and researching the impact of debt within prisons, rejecting the segregation of individuals based solely on OCG involvement, rather than committing to funding for advanced drug detection technology.
Ministry of Justice
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190
Accepted in Part
Employ dedicated intelligence-sharing protocols and joint task forces against organised drone and phone gangs
Recommendation
While current partnerships with police and the National Crime Agency aimed at tackling drone incursions are positive, they are not sufficient. The MoJ and HMPPS must employ dedicated intelligence-sharing protocols and joint task forces to specifically target the organised criminal …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, recognizing the threat and highlighting existing intelligence-sharing protocols with law enforcement. It rejects leading dedicated task forces for organized crime, stating this is the responsibility of the Home Office and policing, but commits to supporting cross-government efforts and funding 47 policing roles.
Ministry of Justice
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191
Accepted in Part
Develop and deploy comprehensive anti-drone strategy and technology across high-risk prisons
Recommendation
A clear and sufficiently resourced strategy is needed to address the evolving nature of drone technology. This strategy should look beyond current capabilities and anticipate future threats, such as the potential for drone- facilitated escapes and the delivery of firearms, …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, committing to developing a comprehensive counter-UAS strategy and launching industry challenges. A program to upgrade physical security at high-risk sites, including drone-resistant designs and barriers, will commence delivery by the end of 2025, but specific anti-drone technologies like 'Sky Fence' are not explicitly committed.
Ministry of Justice
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193
Accepted in Part
Accelerate deployment of advanced contraband detection and signal disruption technology with trained personnel
Recommendation
The MoJ must ring-fence funds to accelerate the deployment of advanced contraband detection and signal disruption technology across the prison estate. Crucially, this must be paired with specialised recruitment and ongoing training to ensure personnel are proficient in operating the …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, detailing recent tendering for new mobile phone capabilities and efforts to develop guidance and review training packages for staff. It highlights existing dedicated search teams and intelligence analysis capabilities to detect and disrupt contraband, but does not commit to ring-fencing funds.
Ministry of Justice
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194
Accepted in Part
Collaborate to develop systems tracking electronic transactions linked to OCG activity in prisons
Recommendation
HMPPS must urgently collaborate with law enforcement and financial institutions to develop and deploy systems capable of tracking electronic transactions linked to known or suspected OCG activity in the prison context. (Recommendation, Paragraph 113)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, rejecting the need to develop new systems as HMPPS already has a Financial Investigation Unit and services like 'Send Money to Someone in Prison' with intelligence interfaces to track transactions. However, they commit to strengthening existing financial intelligence capabilities and collaboration with law enforcement and financial institutions.
Ministry of Justice
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195
Rejected
Manage key OCG operators under enhanced security, segregating them from general prison population
Recommendation
Individuals identified as key OCG operators must be managed under enhanced security protocols and, where possible, segregated from the general prison population to prevent them from exploiting vulnerable prisoners and staff to maintain their “clean profile”. The practice of merely …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to segregate individuals solely based on OCG involvement, citing current legislation. However, they are commissioning work to consider how to manage regimes for SOC-linked prisoners and are undertaking a research study on debt within prisons, with findings due in 2026 to inform future policy.
Ministry of Justice
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198
Accepted
Ensure uniform security standards throughout the prison estate to mitigate all potential ingress risks.
Recommendation
Security measures must acknowledge the principle of displacement; as one route is closed, efforts must then be made to proactively mitigate risks across the full range of other potential ingress methods by ensuring uniform security standards throughout the prison estate. …
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Government Response Summary
The government appreciates the committee’s focus on security, detailing ongoing investments of over £40 million in physical security, widespread deployment of X-ray body scanners, and new legislation creating drone 'no-fly zones'. They continue to work closely with law enforcement to tackle contraband.
Ministry of Justice
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200
Accepted in Part
Mandate overhauling prison substance misuse commissioning, separating services from general healthcare contracts.
Recommendation
The MoJ and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) must mandate an overhaul of the current commissioning model for prison-based substance misuse treatment services. We agree with Dame Carol Black that these services must be commissioned directly and separately …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, stating NHS England is developing a new commissioning structure for Health and Justice services and revising the National Substance Misuse Service Specification. This revision, involving prison governors and stakeholders, will be published by the end of Summer 2026 to improve consistency and integrated working.
Ministry of Justice
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Conclusions (30)
160
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The widespread and increasing availability of illicit substances has fostered a culture of acceptance that normalises drug use in prisons. This makes the presence of drugs inescapable for many prisoners. The situation is made worse by two key factors: the high number of people entering prison with an existing addiction, …
Government Response Summary
The government recognises the value of drug testing and commits to reviewing its drug testing regime to better understand drug use and support treatment and recovery pathways. It will also continue to explore the feasibility of emerging detection technologies for long-term use.
161
Conclusion
Deferred
Mandatory Drug Testing rates do not reliably measure drug prevalence. The MoJ’s own admission that resource constraints limit its capacity for MDT testing and therefore its ability to produce robust, publishable data demonstrates the failure of the current approach. The suspension of regular testing makes it extremely difficult to accurately …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges prison wastewater testing could offer insight but is not yet in a position to commit to its wider rollout due to it being an emerging area of expertise. It is leading a structured research and development programme to understand insights from prison wastewater analysis.
162
Conclusion
Deferred
The MoJ and HMPPS must increase MDT rates to at least pre-pandemic levels. An immediate and mandatory intervention from regional or national HMPPS command, including the deployment of specialist teams to ensure testing is reinstated immediately, should be triggered. (Recommendation, Paragraph 22)
Government Response Summary
The government discusses existing policies for suspended punishments and rehabilitative activities following a positive test, and states it will promote further use of these options. However, it does not address the recommendation to increase Mandatory Drug Testing rates to pre-pandemic levels or mandate interventions.
163
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The MoJ and HMPPS must speed up plans to introduce wastewater- based surveillance to identify new substances across the entire prison estate. If successful, this wastewater surveillance should be deployed in all prisons to monitor drug usage trends within two years of the pilot. (Recommendation, Paragraph 23)
Government Response Summary
The government states it continuously reviews drug testing panels and prioritises drug detection as a key R&D priority, focusing on identifying future solutions for frontline staff. However, it does not commit to speeding up plans for wastewater-based surveillance or deploying it across all prisons within two years as recommended.
164
Conclusion
Deferred
The MoJ and HMPPS must revise the drug testing policy to ensure that positive test results consistently trigger a dual response: swift and certain disciplinary action (with a rehabilitative element) and an immediate, 60 mandatory referral for a clinical needs assessment and engagement with tailored substance misuse treatment and psychosocial …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on measures to prevent the diversion and misuse of prescription medication within prisons, including improved guidance on supervising medicine queues from 2026. It does not directly address the recommendation for a dual disciplinary and mandatory clinical referral response to positive drug test results.
165
Conclusion
Accepted
We are deeply concerned by the significant shift towards the use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), most notably synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic opioids. Their popularity is due to their affordability, accessibility and their potency. In turning to these drugs, prisoners are able to “cheat the system” as current drug testing …
Government Response Summary
The government is undertaking various initiatives to improve purposeful activity in prisons, including exploring metrics, developing guidance, co-designing models, and enhancing recovery-related activities. They commit to providing an update on progress by April 2026.
166
Conclusion
Accepted
Given the extreme potency and low lethal dose of substances such as Nitazenes and Fentanyl, the circulation of these drugs in prisons leads to a high risk of drug-related deaths and overdoses, as tragically seen at HMP Parc. The MoJ and HMPPS must take urgent steps to address the evolving …
Government Response Summary
The government is enhancing staff capability on drugs and recovery by introducing a new capabilities framework, broadening the 'Enable Programme' training, redesigning Foundation Training for new officers, and strengthening specialist roles. They will also undertake a training needs analysis in early 2026.
167
Conclusion
Deferred
The MoJ and HMPPS must consistently update prison drug testing methods to enable the detection of the constantly changing chemical makeup of these NPS, including synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic opioids. Robust data collection should be expanded to include drug purity/potency where feasible. (Recommendation, Paragraph 34)
Government Response Summary
The government's response does not address the recommendation to update drug testing methods or expand data collection on NPS purity/potency. Instead, it rejects mandating universal take-home naloxone kits for prisoners, while detailing existing naloxone provisions and training for prison staff.
168
Conclusion
Deferred
HMPPS should conduct an urgent review of all prescription medication dispensing procedures within prisons to identify and close loopholes exploited for diversion and introduce enhanced supervision of medication queries. New secure systems for distributing and administering medication must be implemented immediately to prevent diversion and protect vulnerable prisoners. (Recommendation, Paragraph …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on staff training for emergency medical responses, including First Aid and Naloxone use, and general drug awareness resources. It does not address the recommendation to review medication dispensing procedures, close loopholes, or implement new secure distribution systems to prevent diversion.
169
Conclusion
Deferred
The high prison population and overcrowding lead to a lack of purposeful activity and poor mental health support which exacerbate the existing drivers of drug demand. Efforts to reduce demand are therefore made more challenging and complex. This undermines any chance that prisoners might have of rehabilitation as it makes …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on safeguarding staff from drug exposure, outlining existing risk assessments, reporting procedures, and support systems for affected staff. It does not address the committee's conclusion regarding how high prison populations and overcrowding exacerbate drug demand by limiting purposeful activity and mental health support for prisoners.
170
Conclusion
Deferred
The MoJ must expand access to purposeful activities, including education, vocational training, accredited work programmes and constructive recreational opportunities to prevent prisoners turning to drugs as a result 61 of boredom. We ask that the MoJ provides the Committee with an update on its progress to increasing purposeful activity within …
Government Response Summary
The government primarily discusses the existing adjudications policy and plans to strengthen sanctions under the Earned Progression Model, including doubling the maximum additional days awarded for drug-related incidents. It does not detail specific plans to expand access to purposeful activities for prisoners.
172
Conclusion
Accepted
Drug-related debt and exploitation are fundamental drivers of violence, coercion and systemic instability within the prison estate. The prevalence of drugs creates a shadow economy where debts, which can accrue up to £10,000, are collected through intimidation and violence. The consequences extend beyond the prison walls, with criminal networks coercing …
Government Response Summary
The government has developed a 'Send legal mail to prisons' digital service to secure legal correspondence and is exploring new technologies to screen legal mail for illicit substances. They are committed to strengthening mail security, though mandating the digital service requires legislative change.
173
Conclusion
Deferred
Every drug-related medical emergency in prison, especially when fatal, is a needless tragedy. The significant number of ’code blues’ in some prisons adds to the significant strain already being experienced by staff. This leads to regime restrictions and increased time spent in cells. This, in turn, reduces access to purposeful …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on investments in robust security infrastructure for 2025/26, including CCTV upgrades, perimeter systems, and new Facilities Management contracts. They are also considering enhancing CCTV with AI and analytics, but this does not address the committee's conclusion about medical emergencies impacting purposeful activity and drug demand.
174
Conclusion
Deferred
The MoJ and NHS England, or its successor, must mandate the immediate, universal rollout of take-home naloxone kits for all individuals leaving custody. This must be coupled with comprehensive, compulsory training for all prisoners and staff. This public health measure will help to mitigate the high risk of fatal opioid …
Government Response Summary
The government's response does not address the recommendation to mandate universal take-home naloxone kits or provide compulsory training. Instead, it details existing external and internal scrutiny mechanisms for prison security, including HMIP inspections and HMPPS Security Audits.
176
Conclusion
Deferred
The high prevalence of drugs in prisons, particularly NPS, poses an unacceptable and direct threat to the safety and well-being of prison staff. The current reality of staff becoming “desensitised” to daily suffering is a sign of a failed system and a dangerous culture of acceptance that must be broken. …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on rigorous recruitment processes for frontline staff, with planned enhancements to assessment methods by Q4 2025/26, rather than directly addressing the risks to staff from drug prevalence in prisons.
177
Conclusion
Deferred
HMPPS must regard staff exposures to drugs as serious workplace safety violations, not as a normal part of the job and must take immediate action to investigate and resolve the causes of such incidents. (Recommendation, Paragraph 67)
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses tackling Serious and Organised Crime related to drone incursions and illicit mobile phones, declining to lead dedicated task forces for organised crime, rather than addressing staff exposure to drugs as a workplace safety violation.
178
Conclusion
Deferred
The significant backlog in the adjudication process, acknowledged by the Prisons Minister, undermines discipline in prisons. While current policy allows governors to balance punishment with support, we received evidence which shows this is not happening consistently. Some prisoners face no repercussions, while others are removed from rehabilitative programmes. The latter …
Government Response Summary
The government's response details its efforts to counter drone technology threats to prisons, including security upgrades commencing by the end of 2025, rather than addressing the backlog in the adjudication process or its impact on the Earned Progression model.
180
Conclusion
Deferred
Our observations confirmed that existing security measures, such as sniffer dogs, are often deployed in an inconsistent manner. For example, drug detection dogs being used for only a few instances in a day in some prisons, rather than as part of a comprehensive, high-volume strategy across 63 all entry points. …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on the existing Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) and its role in disrupting the illicit economy within prisons, rejecting the need for a new system beyond current arrangements, rather than addressing the inconsistent deployment of physical security measures like sniffer dogs.
182
Conclusion
Deferred
HMPPS must rapidly develop and enforce a national, secure protocol for verifying legal correspondence (e.g., mandatory secure digital portals or standardised, verifiable bar-code systems) across all prisons to eliminate the exploitation of privileged mail. (Recommendation, Paragraph 80)
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on NHS England's role in delivering substance misuse services in prisons, including revising the National Substance Misuse Service Specification by Summer 2026, rather than addressing the recommendation for a secure protocol for verifying legal correspondence.
183
Conclusion
Deferred
Our evidence overwhelmingly points to a systemic failure to maintain physical measures which act as prisons’ first line of defence. The operational effectiveness of physical security is being defeated by avoidable delays in maintenance, inadequate resourcing and overly bureaucratic procurement processes, rather than sophisticated criminal innovation. The structural integrity of …
Government Response Summary
The government's response outlines efforts to improve the interoperability of health and MoJ IT systems, including a re-procurement of clinical systems in early 2026 and the development of a digital service for data sharing, rather than addressing the maintenance of physical security infrastructure.
184
Conclusion
Deferred
Governors must be empowered with delegated authority and a streamlined process to rapidly procure and repair essential security infrastructure, particularly perimeter netting and functional CCTV systems, within a mandatory timeframe; for example, 72 hours for critical repairs. (Recommendation, Paragraph 85)
Government Response Summary
The government's response addresses individual drug and alcohol treatment plans, stating that the revised service specification will make transferability a core function, but defers accepting the specific element of transferring plans via p-NOMIS. This response does not address empowering governors for rapid security infrastructure repairs.
185
Conclusion
Deferred
An independent security audit team, or existing reporting body, must conduct proactive, unannounced inspections of physical security measures, such as netting, window security and CCTV functionality, at every prison annually, regardless of the prison’s category. A response and action plan setting out how any failures will be rectified must be …
Government Response Summary
The government response discussed local authority responsibilities for drug and alcohol treatment and funding, completely unrelated to the recommendation for independent prison security audits.
186
Conclusion
Deferred
HMPPS must immediately commit to aligning its personnel vetting requirements with those of other tier-one security and law enforcement agencies, such as the police. While the nature of the work differs, the threat profile is comparable. This alignment must establish the lifelong vetting model as the minimum operational standard for …
Government Response Summary
The government response detailed increased NHS England funding for prison substance misuse services and new priority areas for treatment, completely unrelated to the recommendation for aligning HMPPS personnel vetting requirements.
187
Conclusion
Deferred
HMPPS must amend its recruitment process to ensure that all frontline staff, including prison officers, undergo a mandatory face-to-face interview process led by local governors. This critical step addresses the identified deficiency in governors not having direct involvement in the recruitment process. This lack of involvement limits the scrutiny necessary …
Government Response Summary
The government response outlined plans for research into psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for psychoactive substances and synthetic opioids, completely unrelated to the recommendation for mandatory face-to-face interviews in HMPPS recruitment.
188
Conclusion
Deferred
We are alarmed by the rapid increase in drone incidents over the last three years, as confirmed by HMPPS’s own data. The current reliance on staff sightings to detect drones, as noted in the HMPPS Annual Digest, is insufficient and likely underestimates the true scale of the problem. The capability …
Government Response Summary
The government response detailed the funding and rollout of Incentivised Substance-Free Living (ISFL) units and efforts to reduce drug demand, completely unrelated to the committee's concerns about increasing drone incidents in prisons.
189
Conclusion
Accepted
While the recent £40 million investment in prison security is a welcome step, current drug detection technologies are being outpaced by the sophistication of drones and the criminal networks behind them. The ability of criminals to leverage illicitly acquired mobile phones for remote coordination and financial transactions undermines traditional security …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's focus on security challenges, highlighting significant ongoing investments of over £40 million in physical security, including anti-drone measures and X-ray body scanners across prisons. They also note new legislation introduced 400m drone 'no-fly zones' and continued collaboration with law enforcement to tackle contraband.
192
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Given that the Organised Crime Group market is based on reliable means of communication and that sophisticated smartphones are readily available within prisons, eliminating external communication is the single most critical intervention to disrupt drug supply chain management, debt coordination and criminal operations. (Conclusion, Paragraph 111)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the committee's observation, detailing a wide-ranging existing programme to prevent illicit mobile phones from entering prisons, detect and disrupt their use, and investigate offences. They are also concluding a tender for new mobile phone capabilities and developing operational guidance to support staff.
196
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Collaboration between HMPPS and law enforcement agencies, such as the National Crime Agency and local police, is critical in identifying and disrupting the OCGs behind drone operations. We are pleased to hear that HMPPS have developed good working relationships with law enforcement which has led to more arrests. However, success …
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, agreeing on the importance of strong partnerships and intelligence-sharing. They detail existing collaborations with law enforcement, but reject leading dedicated organised crime task forces, stating this is a responsibility for the Home Office and policing. They commit to supporting cross-government efforts and co-lead a new Quarterly Partnership Board.
197
Conclusion
Accepted
A major obstacle to tackling drug supply is the disparity in security equipment provision between prisons. The prisons that utilise drug detection technology demonstrate its profound and immediate impact on security. This confirms that investments in advanced detection machinery are not optional, but rather an essential prerequisite for consistently detecting …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's focus, highlighting ongoing investments of over £40 million in physical security across 34 prisons, including anti-drone measures. They note X-ray body scanners are now in all closed adult male prisons and new legislation has introduced drone 'no-fly zones', demonstrating current efforts to address security and detection.
199
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
The commissioning structure for substance misuse and healthcare services is complex and fragmented. This compromises the efficacy of treatment outcomes and continuity of care for prisoners. The current healthcare model, where a single contractor covers all health services and then subcontracts drug treatment, means that commissioners are distant from substance …
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts the observation of commissioning complexity, stating NHS England is developing a new commissioning structure for Health and Justice services, and is revising the National Substance Misuse Service Specification to ensure consistency, with a publication target of Summer 2026. They also commit to strengthening Local and National Partnership Agreements.