Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Deferred
Ministry of Justice relies on independent sentencing review to manage future prison capacity
Recommendation
MoJ confirmed that it is relying on the Government’s response to the sentencing review to help it manage the expected gap between capacity and demand.46 Given its forecasts suggest it could run out of places again in early 2026, we challenged MoJ on whether there would be sufficient time to implement measures resulting from the review.47 It told us that it did not think the timeline was impossible. MoJ explained that timelines for the review had been considered with projected shortfalls in mind and it had been planning carefully for this.48 However, it stressed that the review is independent and it will have to ‘wait and see’ what the outcomes are.49
Government Response Summary
HMPPS will provide an update within two months of the publication of the next phase of the Sentencing Review in spring 2025, detailing the impact on the forecast prison place shortage and any further mitigation required, as well as reporting on the maintenance backlog.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
3.3 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: The department will update the Committee two months after the Independent Sentence Review publishes its final report. 3.4 HMPPS will provide an update within two months of the publication of the next phase of the Sentencing Review in spring 2025, detailing the impact on the forecast prison place shortage and any further mitigation required. HMPPS will also report on the maintenance backlog including fire safety improvement and the potential number of cells that may come offline at the end of 2027. This will be underpinned by the funding requested from Phase 2 of the Spending Review across HMPPS Estates including Probation and plans to support demand in community.