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Independent Monitoring Boards annual report

Morton Hall

Report year 2022 Published 9 May 2023 Type Prison, category C Population 310 Responsible body HMP Morton Hall 11 recommendations

Original IMB report page ↗ imb.org.uk ↗

The summary and positive findings below were written from the report by an AI model. The Board's own wording is in the report linked above.

Summary

Summary written by this site (AI-generated)
HMP Morton Hall, a Category C prison for foreign national men, has transitioned from an IRC during its first reporting year (Dec 2021-Dec 2022). It is a safe and humane establishment, effectively meeting health and wellbeing needs, despite operating with an evolving regime and a gradually increasing population. Key challenges include issues with Home Office processing for foreign national prisoners, regime consistency, and ensuring sufficient purposeful activity, all of which the Board highlights in its recommendations.

Positive findings

Summary written by this site (AI-generated)
Morton Hall is a safe place with good officer-prisoner relationships and a welcoming atmosphere. Health and wellbeing needs are well met through screening and accessible services, supported by a refurbished gymnasium. Prisoners generally prefer Morton Hall to previous prisons, praising staff attitudes. The visitors' centre is friendly and supportive, run by Lincolnshire Action Trust. The Board appreciates the support and frankness from governors and staff.

Recommendations

All 11 recommendations

Key concerns

All 11 key concerns

Recommendations 11 items

Recommendations were extracted from the report by AI, and responses and their status from the ministerial response by AI. Each recommendation shows whether its wording has been checked against the report.

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation (the Board's words)
that many prisoners eligible for ERS do not leave at the earliest opportunity, indeed many arrive at Morton Hall well into the nine to 12-month period within which they could have been deported (see paragraphs 3.2.5, 7.3.3)

Source text verified

Recommendation 1

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Regime

Recommendation (the Board's words)
whether the planned slow increase – and more so the actual rate – in the prisoner population worked to overall advantage, given the frequent adjustments to the regime (over and above those of the Covid requirements) (see paragraph 3.1.2)

Source text verified

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Education

Recommendation (the Board's words)
extending the contract for librarian services to provide absence relief cover, avoiding the need to close the library and rely on the trolley service (see paragraph 7.1.3)

Source text verified

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation (the Board's words)
that many prisoners who are held under Immigration Act powers post-sentence (rule IS91) do not receive timely notification from the HO (see paragraphs 3.2.5, 7.3.4 ).

Source text verified

Recommendation 2

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Purposeful Activity

Recommendation (the Board's words)
in consequence, the limited purposeful activity opportunities for prisoners for the majority of the reporting year (see paragraphs 3.2.4, 7.2.1)

Source text verified

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Food

Recommendation (the Board's words)
reducing the rate of returns for canteen goods and in particular ensuring a satisfactory quality of food items, notably cheese and fresh fruit, and ensuring that prisoner returns are refunded promptly (see paragraph 5.1.8)

Source text verified

Recommendation 3

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Resettlement

Recommendation (the Board's words)
the arrangements for identifying and transferring foreign national prisoners from other prisons, given the significant gap between the planned and actual roll (see paragraphs 3.1.2, 7.3.1)

Source text verified

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime

Recommendation (the Board's words)
using the opportunity of the spring 2023 reprofile to improve prisoners’ work ethic and general approach to work by ensuring they report for work on time (see paragraph 3.2.4)

Source text verified

Recommendation 4

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Other

Recommendation (the Board's words)
to improve the systems for interprison property transfer (see paragraph 5.8.1)

Source text verified

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime

Recommendation (the Board's words)
tightening up and/or amending the processes for roll reconciliation so that prisoners can take part in planned activities on time (see paragraph 6.5.4).

Source text verified

Recommendation 5

Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Food

Recommendation (the Board's words)
to consider increasing the daily food cost allowance, given levels of food cost inflation and the reliance on carbohydrates (see paragraph 5.1.2).

Source text verified

Key concerns 11 items

Key concerns were extracted from the report text by an AI model.

Key concern 1

Resettlement/Release

Many prisoners eligible for Early Removal Scheme (ERS) do not leave at the earliest opportunity, indeed many arrive at Morton Hall well into the nine to 12-month period within which they could have been deported.

Key concern 2

Resettlement/Release

Many prisoners who are held under Immigration Act powers post-sentence (rule IS91) do not receive timely notification from the Home Office.

Key concern 3

Regime/Time Out of Cell

The planned slow increase – and more so the actual rate – in the prisoner population worked to overall advantage, given the frequent adjustments to the regime (over and above those of the Covid requirements).

Key concern 4

Regime/Time Out of Cell

In consequence, the limited purposeful activity opportunities for prisoners for the majority of the reporting year.

Key concern 5

Resettlement/Release

The arrangements for identifying and transferring foreign national prisoners from other prisons, given the significant gap between the planned and actual roll.

Key concern 6

Other

To improve the systems for interprison property transfer.

Key concern 7

Food/Catering

To consider increasing the daily food cost allowance, given levels of food cost inflation and the reliance on carbohydrates.

Key concern 8

Regime/Time Out of Cell

Extending the contract for librarian services to provide absence relief cover, avoiding the need to close the library and rely on the trolley service.

Key concern 9

Food/Catering

Reducing the rate of returns for canteen goods and in particular ensuring a satisfactory quality of food items, notably cheese and fresh fruit, and ensuring that prisoner returns are refunded promptly.

Key concern 10

Regime/Time Out of Cell

Using the opportunity of the spring 2023 reprofile to improve prisoners’ work ethic and general approach to work by ensuring they report for work on time.

Key concern 11

Regime/Time Out of Cell

Tightening up and/or amending the processes for roll reconciliation so that prisoners can take part in planned activities on time.

Safety statistics

Incidents during the reporting year.

IndicatorThis yearPrevious
Deaths in custody0not recorded
Self-harm incidents38not recorded
ACCT cases opened34not recorded
Prisoner assaults17not recorded
Assaults on staff6not recorded
Use of force33not recorded
Drug finds0not recorded

Population

Population310
Operational capacity353

Applications to the IMB

CategoryCurrentPrevious
Accommodation, including laundry, clothing, ablutions 1 not recorded
Canteen, facility list, catalogue(s) 4 not recorded
Discipline, including adjudications, incentives scheme, sanctions 2 not recorded
Equality/Diversity 2 not recorded
Food and kitchens 3 not recorded
Health, including physical, mental, social care 3 not recorded
Incentives and earned privileges 0 not recorded
Letters, visits, telephones, public protection restrictions 2 not recorded
Mail 1 not recorded
Miscellaneous, including complaints 10 not recorded
Pin Phones 1 not recorded
Property related to Morton Hall 7 not recorded
Property related to previous prison 10 not recorded
Purposeful activity, including education, work, training, library, regime, time out of cell 2 not recorded
Resettlement 1 not recorded
Segregation 0 not recorded
Sentence management, including HDC, release on temporary licence, parole, release dates 4 not recorded
Sentence related - immigration 8 not recorded
Sentence related - recategorisation 3 not recorded
Staff/prisoner concerns, including bullying 9 not recorded
Transfers 1 not recorded

Report details

Establishment
Morton Hall
Type
Prison, category C
Report year
2022
Published
9 May 2023
Responsible body
HMP Morton Hall
Recommendations
11
MoJ rating (2025/26)
3, Good

Service providers

ServiceProvider
Canteen ServiceDHL
EducationPeople Plus
HealthcareNottingham Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Library DeliveryGreenwich Leisure Ltd
Library ManagementLincolnshire County Council
Visitors Centre / ResettlementLincolnshire Action Trust (LAT)

Related inspections and investigations

HMIP inspection, 30 Oct 2023

Unannounced · Safety 4 · Respect 4 · Activity 2 · Release 2

HMIP inspection, 28 Oct 2019

Unannounced · Safety 3 · Respect 3 · Activity 2 · Release 3

Other reports for Morton Hall

2025

Published 4 Aug 2026 · Population 346 · Self-harm 115 · Key concerns recorded

2024

Published 30 Jul 2025 · Population 351 · Self-harm 66 · Key concerns recorded

2023

Published 18 Jul 2024 · Population 333 · Self-harm 52 · Key concerns recorded