Lincoln

Response
Regarding the Board’s comments concerning repairs and maintenance jobs at HMP/YOI Lincoln, I have been informed that the need to prioritise and complete a number of mandatory and statutory tasks meant that reactive repairs have taken longer than HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) would wish. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Property Directorate are closely monitoring reactive repairs. As a result, most reactive work is now being completed within the contractual timelines and fewer tasks being deferred. As well as the Care and Separation unit refurbishment work, HMPPS is working closely with Amey’s on- site team to manage the water and heating infrastructure replacement project, a large complex project to which began early this year. This project is estimated to be completed around mid / late 2023 as such the temporary boilers will remain in use until further notice. A work project to install a new roof in the Healthcare unit and to replace the stand-by generator will commence shortly. The Governor will hold monthly contract review meetings to monitor performance and timescales.

Response
Turning to your comments about prisoners being released with no fixed abode, HMPPS Homelessness Prevention Teams are engaging with local authorities and are helping find accommodation options for prisoners upon their release. By 2024-25 we will spend £200 million a year to reduce reoffending, this includes improving prison leavers’ access to accommodation. HMPPS has launched a transitional accommodation service providing up to 12 weeks accommodation and support to move to a settled housing position. This is currently being delivered in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, Greater Manchester, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and the East of England probation regions. Those released from HMP/YOI Lincoln who live in one of these regions can now benefit from this service, and HMPPS is expanding this service to cover all of England and Wales by the end of this year. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched the Accommodation for Ex-Offender scheme in July 2021, allocating £13 million to 87 housing schemes across 145 local authorities to support prison leavers to access private rented sector accommodation. More recently the Lincolnshire Prison Release Housing Protocol was launched; a high-level process between HMPPS (including East and West Lincolnshire Probation Delivery Unit [PDU], HMP/YOI Lincoln, HMP North Sea Camp, Wordsworth House Approved Premises), all seven Lincolnshire local housing authorities and Nacro, the provider. This is overseen via the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, its aim is to contribute to the Government's ambition of eliminating rough sleeping by the end of the current parliament (2023/24). Furthermore, HMPPS is currently recruiting to increase the number of Housing Specialists to 48 full time equivalent posts to support prisons across England and Wales including the East Midlands Prison Group. Accepting prisoners from Nottingham and Leicestershire is an operational necessity but it does complicate the release of these prisoners. Although there is still much work to be done, 81.3% of HMP/YOI Lincoln prisoners in June 2022 secured accommodation on release (this figure includes ‘out of area’ prisoners). The local Reducing Reoffending monthly meeting now provides a strategic overview of resettlement accommodation outcomes.

Response
I acknowledge that the Board remains concerned about the number of prisoners at HMP/YOI Lincoln serving indeterminate sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) who are beyond their tariff period. Whilst it is a priority is to protect the public, I would like to reassure you that HMPPS is committed to doing all it can to support the progression of those serving IPP sentences. This commitment is delivered by means of a bespoke and regularly refreshed IPP Action Plan. There There are a broad range of work streams in the plan, aimed at progression towards a safe release, following a positive parole outcome. These efforts have, in recent years, delivered a substantial reduction in the number of IPP prisoners who have never been released. That number stood at 1,492 at the end of June 2022. This is reduced from 1,722 at the end of June 2021. As the number of IPP prisoners who have never been released continues to decrease, the proportion of those who remain in prison who committed more serious offences and whose cases are complex grows. This is not a simple task, HMPPS continues to work with these individuals to offer them opportunities to reduce their identified risks. For these reasons, there are some prisoners serving an IPP sentence who have spent a significant number of years in custody after completing their tariff. In August 2022, there were 56 IPP prisoners at HMP/YOI Lincoln (consisting of recalls / returned from the open estate), the Governor is working towards allocating them to appropriate prisons to help address their offending behaviour. The Justice Select Committee has published its report into the IPP sentence. The evidence and recommendations are being carefully considered and my officials will review the IPP Action Plan in light of this report.

Response
I note the Board’s concerns about mental ill health and access to treatments, personality disorder is complex, and severity varies considerably from person to person. NHS England Mental Health Service specification for custodial services does not restrict access to those with a personality disorder. Specialist personality disorder services are available through the national Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway that is jointly commissioned by HMPPS and NHS England. Access to this provision is co-ordinated by an offender manager and, not by NHS England or the Healthcare provider. Where prison based OPD pathway service treatment is not suitable the individual is referred to the prison Mental Health team to consider referral to Mental Health Secure inpatient services for suitability assessment to access inpatient Personality Disorder Services provided in secure hospitals. An OPD consultation service is now available at HMP/YOI Lincoln to support offender managers through this process. The new Neurodiversity Support Lead is a welcome addition to those with neuro-diverse conditions as is the support already being provided by PeoplePlus. I am pleased that the Reconnect service will be delivered in the next 12 months at HMP/YOI Lincoln and this will provide extra support.