Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
6th Report - Tackling the drugs crisis in our prisons
Justice Committee
HC 557
Published 31 October 2025
Recommendations
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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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 (3)
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.
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.