Home / Sources / Select Committees / Education Committee / Prison Education
Index live · Last sync 22 May 2026
Select Committee · Education Committee

Prison Education

Status: Closed Opened: 19 Nov 2020 Closed: 20 Oct 2022 21 recommendations 17 conclusions 1 report

The inquiry is examining how current arrangements support learners in custody and how well prison education delivers the skills needed by employers. The inquiry is considering education for adults, young people and children in custody. It will look at what barriers exist, for instance, to delivering apprenticeships in a custodial setting. Also, what educational offers …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First report - Not just another brick in the wall: why pri… HC 56 18 May 2022 38 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
23 Recommendation First report - Not just another brick … Accepted in Part

We have serious concerns around allowing prisoners free and un-fettered access to the internet.

We have serious concerns around allowing prisoners free and un-fettered access to the internet. However, we have been assured that security concerns can be overcome as technology exists which allows access to be restricted to approved content which can be monitored. A change in attitude to technology in prisons is …

Government response. The government accepts the recommendation in principle and will assess the condition of prison buildings, including education and workshop facilities, over the next 12-18 months.
Department for Education
32 Recommendation First report - Not just another brick … Accepted in Part

No-one understands the skills market better than employers.

No-one understands the skills market better than employers. Local partnership with employers is key to identifying and providing the necessary skills for the job market. During our inquiry, we heard of some fantastic partnerships between prisons and businesses. However, these examples are too few. The Ministry of Justice must build …

Government response. The government accepts the recommendation in principle but states that auditing the size of individual employers would be administratively challenging and that NFN is only one source of employment, but will explore ways to better demonstrate the work and impact …
Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

7 sessions
Date Witnesses
18 Jan 2022 Alex Burghart MP · Department for Education, Louise Wright · Department for Education, Phil Copple · HMPPS, Victoria Atkins · Ministry of Justice View ↗
14 Dec 2021 Darren Burns · Timpson, Sasha Simmonds · O’Neill & Brennan, Ted Rosner · Redemption Roasters, Tony Hughes · Williams Homes View ↗
2 Nov 2021 Ben Leapman, David Breakspear, Femi Laryea-Adekimi, Jonathan Gilbert, Kiri Jolliffe View ↗
21 Sep 2021 Andrea Greer · Weston College, Matthew Coffey · Ofsted, Paul Joyce · Ofsted, Peter Cox · Novus, Sally Alexander · Milton Keynes College, Sophie Sterling · People Plus View ↗
8 Jun 2021 Francesca Cooney, Prisoner Learning Alliance, Michala Robertson, Open University, Peter Dawson, Prison Reform Trust, Stephen Johnson, Prison Governors Association View ↗
25 May 2021 David Hughes · Association of Colleges, Julian Smith · Bounce Back, Lisa Capper MBE · NACRO, Shereen Lawrence · St Giles Trust, Simon Ashworth · Association of Employment and Learning Providers View ↗
20 Apr 2021 Dame Sally Coates DBE, Peter Stanford · Coates Review, Rod Clark · Coates Review View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 May 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice…
29 Apr 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice…