Askham Grange

I appreciate the Board’s ongoing concerns about the future of HMP/YOI Askham Grange. As stated in my predecessor’s letter from January 2020, there is no intention to close the prison for the foreseeable future. Whilst the Closure Notice has not been formally rescinded, it has not prevented HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) from planning for the future. This has resulted in significant investment in the establishment’s infrastructure and environment over the past two years. There are further plans for investment in the establishment, including a survey to commission an additional forty temporary modular accommodation places and consequently increase the operational capacity in the medium term.

As part of the Covid-19 response, HMP/YOI Askham Grange was one of three prisons that hired Bunkabin units. On 9 November 2021, the HMPPS Recovery Board approved the removal of hired units when they are no longer required for the management of Covid-19. Through engagement with the Prison Group Director for the Womens Estate, Bunkabins have been deemed unsuitable for continued use in the female estate and will be relied on for temporary accommodation only. HMPPS is committed to removing the units only when it is safe to do so, and the prison can effectively manage Covid-19 within its existing permanent accommodation. These decisions will be aligned with the National Framework for Covid Recovery and latest guidance from the Public Health England. The temporary accommodation project is proposing to decommission the Bunkabin units at the end of May 2022. Planning has commenced with full consultation with the women affected, and those required to share have been given the option to provide their cellmate preference(s).

There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring prisoners and allocation decisions must reflect both the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, as well as the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison. Within the context of these often competing operational and logistical demands, the Population Management Unit seeks to ensure that prisoners who have been accepted for transfer are moved as soon as is practical. A new short sentence function (SSF) is being introduced in all Probation Regions from June 2022 to provide a responsive bespoke service for those serving short prison sentences (10 months or under to serve at the point of sentence). The SSF will provide a dedicated pre-release team at some prisons, but this has not been confirmed for HMP/YOI Askham Grange as yet. Although the rollout of the SSF begins later this year, a full service is not expected until 2023.