Recommendation 2

We are disappointed that the Ministry places inadequate importance on the living conditions of female prisoners. Twelve of the 117 prisons in England & Wales hold female offenders, none of which are in Wales. Despite women making up 5% of the prison population, the Ministry was unable to answer basic questions about the female prison estate or demonstrate that conditions in these prisons are adequate for the needs and safety of prisoners. The Ministry has not prioritised investing in the female prison estate, meaning women continue to serve their sentences in locations far from home. HMP Holloway, a women’s prison with a track-record of high-quality prisoner care and services, was sold in March 2019. But the £81.5 million raised was used to fund the Prison Estate Transformation Programme, which was focused on improving the male estate, and to ease pressures elsewhere, rather than being re- invested in the female prison estate. The Ministry’s strategy for female offenders focuses on community centres. It is unable to show how it ensures that its female prisons get proper investment and meet the needs of female offenders. The prison 6 Improving the prison estate environment, including the condition of buildings and facilities, plays an important role in how prisoners behave. We are deeply concerned that women’s prisons have by far the highest levels of self-harm across the prison estate. Proper investment in the female estate is necessary to ensure female offenders do not become further marginalised. The Ministry has promised a greater focus on investing in women’s prisons and community provision for women as part of its long-term strategy. Recommendation: The Ministry should write to the Committee within three months explaining how it plans to improve conditions in women’s prisons.