Leyhill

What further action will the Minister take to speed up the resettlement in the community of the prisoners serving IPP sentences, many of whom have spent far longer in custody than recommended in their indicative tariffs?

I appreciate the Board’s ongoing concerns around prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). Whilst our main priority is to protect the public, I would like to reassure you we remain committed to doing all we can to support the progression of prisoners serving IPP sentences to reduce their risk to the point where the Parole Board determines that they may be safely released. Our commitment to the IPP action plan continues, which includes the delivery of specialist progression regimes that gives prisoners a chance to develop and test their ability to manage their risks and lives in an environment of increasing freedoms and responsibilities. Further to the figures from last year, the number of IPP prisoners who have never been released stood at 1,554 at the end of March 2022. This is a reduction from 1,784 at the end of March 2021 and good progress considering that the population of unreleased prisoners serving IPP sentences was over 6,000 in 2012. As this population of prisoners continues to decrease, the proportion of those who remain in prison who committed more serious offences and whose cases are complex grows. These prisoners are still assessed to pose a high risk of committing further violent or sexual offences and have a complex set of risks and needs. These must be addressed before the Parole Board can consider that their risk to the public is safely manageable in the community under probation supervision. HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) will continue 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.

What action will the Minister take to remedy the lack of spaces in approved premises which leads to many prisoners facing incarceration beyond their release dates?

Our commitment to increase Approved Premises spaces for high-risk offenders by 200 beds is on schedule to be delivered by March 2024. By March this year HMPPS achieved its initial target of creating an additional 100 bed spaces. The following Approved Premises are local to HMP Leyhill: Ryecroft, Brigstocke Road, Bridge House and Ashley House, and all are accessible by public transport. HMPPS also launched a new transitional accommodation service providing up to twelve weeks’ basic accommodation and support for those leaving prison. Initially launched in five probation regions, HMPPS is rolling out the service across England and Wales, supporting prison leavers and people on probation who would otherwise lack stable accommodation. The competition for new contracts went live on 18 May 2022 and the service is due to be up and running by the end of the year.

What action will the Minister take to restore the quality of rehabilitation lost as a result of the closing of the community rehabilitation company?

Following the unification of the Probation Service in June 2021, responsibility for the delivery of all probation services moved to Probation Service Regional Probation Directors and I can assure the Board quality has not been lost. Key probation interventions such as Accommodation, Women’s Services, and Personal Wellbeing, are delivered by Commissioned Rehabilitative Service (CRS) providers to sentenced people in prison and on probation. Under the new approach, all resettlement prisons will have an embedded resettlement provision managed by or otherwise linked to a Probation Delivery Unit. The embedded pre-release teams will provide services not currently available via CRS. Additional CRS contracts will commence across a number of Regions in Autumn 2022. There has been a transition period following unification which affected the delivery of resettlement services in some prisons. Regional Probation Directors are working to stabilise the pre-release teams and CRS provision to secure improved service delivery to all people in prison. The embedded pre-release teams will provide immediate resettlement needs and pre-release support for all people in prison including people out of area.

What further action will be taken to deal with the recurring problem of property lost or mislaid during transfer from other prisons?

HMP Leyhill will continue to work with all sending establishments to ensure that property issues are minimised. It is acknowledged HMP Leyhill continues to experience prisoners arriving with excessive property and the prison will address this at a local level. The Governor assures the Board that any items of missing property is investigated immediately with the sending prison. On a national level, the introduction of digitally recorded Person Escort Records, including property tags, will assist with investigations for property that is lost in transit with Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) suppliers. HMPPS is also considering what more can be done to encourage prisoners to send out or dispose of excess items to reduce the amount of their property that cannot transfer with them. Steps are also being taken to ensure a consistent approach when prisons forward on any excess items to prisoners at their new establishments after transfers have taken place. The new Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is currently going through the necessary clearance processes and will be published as soon as that is concluded. The Framework aims to ensure that property is handled with efficiency, care and respect and that staff and prisoners are clear on the arrangements in place including stronger guidance to ensure volumetric control limits are respected and prisoners do not build up excessive amounts of property.

The Board urges the Governor to continue to explore ways to give more prisoners the opportunity to experience external work placements.

The Board urges the Governor to build on the recent improvements made in the provision of opportunities for ROTL.