Recommendation 26

We asked MoJ how it would protect against unsafe spaces being reopened to provide increased prison capacity. MoJ told us it has clear safety standards for cells that it would never go below, and HMPPS added that these standards are “absolute” and it would not bend these to improve overall capacity.65 Both MoJ and HMPPS told us there will always be space to accommodate prisoners without compromising safety.66 MoJ conceded that the ongoing lack of “headroom” is making remedial works across the prison estate more difficult as HMPPS is not able to close parts of prisons for refurbishment.67 MoJ told us it has contingencies in place , such as rapid deployment cells, and HMPPS told us about 57 Q11; C&AG’s Report, para 1.12 58 C&AG’s Report, para 3.9–3.10 59 Qq 3, 80 60 Qq 3, 97, 99 61 Ministry of Justice, Population bulletin: monthly March 2023 62 C&AG’s Report, para 3.18 63 Qq 95, 96, 123 64 Qq 96, 113 65 Q99 66 Qq 90, 100, 102, 116 67 Q99 16 Resettlement support for prison leavers Operation Safeguard, where police cells can be used as a short-term contingency to relieve pressure locally. However MoJ explained that these emergency solutions will ultimately cost the taxpayer more per head than traditional prison accommodation.68