Coldingley

Will the Minister please confirm that this long overdue commitment to improving standards at HMP Coldingley will be maintained?

I understand the Board’s concerns about the absence of in-cell sanitation and that you request a commitment that improving conditions at the prison will be maintained. I can assure the Board that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has five projects for HMP Coldingley in their Capital Maintenance Priority Programme which have been funded and approved to progress to commercial tender. As previously explained by Junior Johnson Deputy Director, MoJ Sponsorship of Independent Scrutiny Bodies on 18 June 2020 these include the replacement of the night sanitation on A – D wings with in cell sanitation and wing landing toilets converted into shower facilities as part of this work. It also includes replacement windows to all accommodation areas, replacement of the cell call system, fire safety improvement works and site wide electrical rewiring. These commit significant investment to the prison to improve conditions, with work expected to commence in July 2021. Due to the level of work involved these projects are likely to take around five years to complete.

Would the Minister please advise the Board what plans, if any, there are for addressing this issue?

I understand the Board’s concerns about the absence of in-cell sanitation and that you request a commitment that improving conditions at the prison will be maintained. I can assure the Board that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has five projects for HMP Coldingley in their Capital Maintenance Priority Programme which have been funded and approved to progress to commercial tender. As previously explained by Junior Johnson Deputy Director, MoJ Sponsorship of Independent Scrutiny Bodies on 18 June 2020 these include the replacement of the night sanitation on A – D wings with in cell sanitation and wing landing toilets converted into shower facilities as part of this work. It also includes replacement windows to all accommodation areas, replacement of the cell call system, fire safety improvement works and site wide electrical rewiring. These commit significant investment to the prison to improve conditions, with work expected to commence in July 2021. Due to the level of work involved these projects are likely to take around five years to complete.
In addition, work has already begun to improve the heating and hot water delivery with improvements made to the heating on A - F wings which will be supplemented with further planned work to replace the district heating main. Whilst recognising there is more work to do the facilities management provider, Gov Facilities Service Limited, is continuing to develop their workforce to improve the service provided to the prison, day to day reactive repairs are now generally well managed. Most planned maintenance work is also now being completed on time and several areas of flooring within the accommodation areas are being worked on, but will require further funding to support their completion.

What plans does Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) have for tackling levels of violence and bullying?

Across the prison estate yearly assaults have fallen for the third consecutive quarter to December 2019 and specifically at HMP Coldingley, the number of assaults fell from 89 in 2018 to 71 in 2019. However, despite the progress being made HMPPS recognises that the level of violence in prisons remains too high and is continuing to provide all staff with the tools and training they need to help them reduce violence, through the Safety Strategy that is in place at a national, regional and local levels.
As well as safety data available on the Performance Hub, prisons are being provided with the tools to improve the way data is used in risk identification, such as the Safety Diagnostic Tool (SDT) which was rolled out across the prison estate in 2019 and provides detailed information on safety issues, from prison to individual level. The Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan (CSIP) has also been developed to provide a consistent national case management model for managing those who pose a raised risk of being violent and is being used alongside the SDT by prisons to identify who may benefit from this proactive case management to prevent violence. Training for safety analysts working in prisons has also been developed so they have the skills to better understand the data. In addition, HMPPS has introduced a weekly multi-disciplinary Safety Intervention Meeting which brings together local staff and experience from across a prison to identify, manage and mitigate the risks posed by the individuals within their prison. Alongside this Key Work is providing staff with dedicated time to support individuals that will help to deal with emerging threats and to improve safety.
It is encouraging that the efforts of the Governor and Senior Management Team to address the violence, bullying and debt problems are recognised by the Board. However, it is also acknowledged that the prisons design and low ceilings leaves the CCTV cameras vulnerable to vandalism and potential blind spots. Whilst a new CCTV system was approved for installation in February 2019 and two wings were completed, as incidents of vandalism have continued the project has been paused to enable a review of the design to improve safety.

What does HMPPS intend to do to address these ongoing problems?

HMPPS takes the issue of all illicit items, including alcohol brewing (hooch) seriously and recognises the impact this can have on the prison regime. To support this all prisons have been supplied with an alcohol testing breathalyser and guidance to enable them to identify individuals under the influence of hooch. HMPPS is also investing in enhanced gate security and x-ray body scanners on an unprecedented scale as part of the £100m investment announced by the Prime Minister last summer. The technology will be used to detect and deter the entry of contraband into prisons via prisoners, visitors and staff, as well as expanding HMPPS Counter Corruption Unit so that prison staff are more resilient to attempts to influence them to help supply drugs. The enhanced gate security includes the installation of archway metal detectors and x-ray baggage scanners, additional staff and drug dogs to increase the level of searching. Searching for and removing prohibited items not only helps HMPPS ensure the safety of prisoners but can also be fundamentally important in ensuring the well-being of the person being searched. The investment will further boost prison security and accelerate HMPPS capabilities which includes mobile phone blocking technology for select sites. A rigorous site selection process to implement the investment in up to 50 prisons is underway with the first wave of 16 sites announced in January 2020 and further sites will be announced as implementation progresses. These measures linked with closer working with police and health colleagues through the drugs taskforce which was set up to restrict supply, reduce demand and build recovery, will support those leaving prisons to continue to engage with services to manage their substance issues.
It is acknowledged that hooch remains a concern locally and to tackle all illicit items such as alcohol, drugs and mobile phones HMP Coldingley has introduced a new local strategy which utilises the support of Dedicated Search Teams to operate out of hours searching of high risk areas and individuals. Enhanced Accommodation Fabric Checks have also been introduced to ensure a direct, dynamic challenge to the illicit economy and prisoners hiding items. New signs have also been placed on the perimeter fences and at the entrance areas for staff and visitors to deter the use of drones, throw-over activity and trafficking. In cooperation with the Police CCTV vans have been strategically located to deter attempted trafficking activity and it is worth noting that these efforts have previously result in an arrest and subsequent conviction of a corrupt member of staff for trafficking large amounts of drugs and mobile phones in to HMP Coldingley.
In addition, the Forward Trust are commissioned to provide an all substances misuse service at HMP Coldingley which includes the misuse of alcohol and it is pleasing that the IMB recognise the wide variety of initiatives available at the prison. In response to changes in substance misuse additional support services have been commissioned to tackle addiction and support desistance activity, including adding the alcohol specific Bridge programme to the range of interventions. Two successful programmes were delivered prior to lockdown and these will be re-introduced as the regime as continues to safely returns.

The Board hopes that the Governor will continue to apply all possible pressure to secure the required major refurbishment work as a matter of the highest priority.

I understand the Board’s concerns about the absence of in-cell sanitation and that you request a commitment that improving conditions at the prison will be maintained. I can assure the Board that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has five projects for HMP Coldingley in their Capital Maintenance Priority Programme which have been funded and approved to progress to commercial tender. As previously explained by Junior Johnson Deputy Director, MoJ Sponsorship of Independent Scrutiny Bodies on 18 June 2020 these include the replacement of the night sanitation on A – D wings with in cell sanitation and wing landing toilets converted into shower facilities as part of this work. It also includes replacement windows to all accommodation areas, replacement of the cell call system, fire safety improvement works and site wide electrical rewiring. These commit significant investment to the prison to improve conditions, with work expected to commence in July 2021. Due to the level of work involved these projects are likely to take around five years to complete.