1st Report - Better prisons: less crime
- HC No.
- —
- Published
- 16 Jul 2025
- Items
- 0
- Response
- Response document linked Read government response ↗
Select Committee · Justice and Home Affairs Committee
Prison culture: governance, leadership and staffing
Status: Open
Opened: 30 Oct 2024
1 report
Inquiry scope
Read the Shorthand story: Our prisons are in a state of crisis The report 'Better prisons: less crime' was published on 16 July 2025. The Government response was published on 22 September. The report was debated on 12 February 2026.Reports
Oral evidence sessions
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2025 | Phil Copple · HMPPS, The Lord Timpson OBE DL · Ministry of Justice | View ↗ |
| 18 Mar 2025 | Juliana Rowan, Kate Fraser · Women in Prison, Kieron Bryan, Zak Addae-Kodua · xconversation | View ↗ |
| 11 Mar 2025 | Andrew Neilson · The Howard League for Penal Reform, Helen Berresford · Nacro | View ↗ |
| 11 Feb 2025 | Dominic Herrington · Department for Education, Louise Alexander · HMPPS, Michelle Jarman-Howe · HM Prison and Probation Service | View ↗ |
| 4 Feb 2025 | Dr Kristian Mjåland · University of Agder, Professor Alison Liebling · University of Cambridge, Professor Ben Crewe · University of Cambridge | View ↗ |
| 28 Jan 2025 | Clare Pearson, Julia Killick CBE, Professor Lynn Saunders OBE · University of Derby, Saj Zafar | View ↗ |
| 21 Jan 2025 | Charlie Taylor · HM Inspectorate of Prisons | View ↗ |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Gavin Miller · Community Trade Union, Mark Fairhurst · Prison Officers Association | View ↗ |
| 17 Dec 2024 | The Rt Hon Charles Clarke · Department for Education, The Rt Hon Michael Gove | View ↗ |
| 26 Nov 2024 | Genevieve Glaister, Natasha Porter OBE · Unlocked Graduates, Pia Sinha · Prison Reform Trust | View ↗ |
| 19 Nov 2024 | Carl Davies · Prison Governors' Association, Tom Wheatley · The Prison Governors’ Association, Vanessa Frake-Harris MBE | View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Neilson · Campaigns Director | The Howard League for Penal Reform | 1 |
| Carl Davies · Vice President | Prison Governors' Association | 1 |
| Charlie Taylor · Chief Inspector of Prisons | HM Inspectorate of Prisons | 1 |
| Clare Pearson | — | 1 |
| Dominic Herrington · National Schools Commissioner | Department for Education | 1 |
| Dr Kristian Mjåland · Associate Professor of Sociology | University of Agder | 1 |
| Gavin Miller · National Secretary for Justice and Custodial | Community Trade Union | 1 |
| Genevieve Glaister | — | 1 |
| Helen Berresford · Director of External Engagement | Nacro | 1 |
| Julia Killick CBE | — | 1 |
| Juliana Rowan | — | 1 |
| Kate Fraser · Head of Practice | Women in Prison | 1 |
| Kieron Bryan | — | 1 |
| Louise Alexander · People Director, HMPPS and Business Partnering | HMPPS | 1 |
| Mark Fairhurst · National Chair | Prison Officers Association | 1 |
| Michelle Jarman-Howe · Chief Operating Officer | HM Prison and Probation Service | 1 |
| Natasha Porter OBE · CEO | Unlocked Graduates | 1 |
| Phil Copple · Director General of Prisons | HMPPS | 1 |
| Pia Sinha · Chief Executive Officer | Prison Reform Trust | 1 |
| Professor Alison Liebling · Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Director of the Prisons Research Centre | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Professor Ben Crewe · Professor of Penology and Criminal Justice and Deputy Director of the Prisons Research Centre | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Professor Lynn Saunders OBE · Professor of Applied Criminology | University of Derby | 1 |
| Saj Zafar | — | 1 |
| The Lord Timpson OBE DL · Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending | Ministry of Justice | 1 |
| The Rt Hon Charles Clarke · Former Education Secretary | Department for Education | 1 |
| The Rt Hon Michael Gove | — | 1 |
| Tom Wheatley · President | The Prison Governors’ Association | 1 |
| Vanessa Frake-Harris MBE | — | 1 |
| Zak Addae-Kodua · Founder and Director | xconversation | 1 |
Correspondence
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
Meetings & visits
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Apr 2025 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Room 2, Palace of Westminster | |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · HMP Belmarsh and HMP Isis | |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Room 3, Palace of Westminster | |
| 7 Jan 2025 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Room 3, Palace of Westminster |