Recommendations 10 items · 9 repeated
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.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Safety · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Is the Minister satisfied that all necessary resources are being delivered to significantly reduce self-inflicted deaths, in the content of increasing deaths year-on year?
Government response (as published)
Regrets deaths and noted that the prison is receiving enhanced support under the cluster death support process.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Estate · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
As repeated from the previous reporting year, there is a need for a real terms increase in funding to address the backlog in necessary maintenance at HMP Leeds. When will the Minister deliver this?
Government response (as published)
Funding secured for a series of critical upgrades to enhance security including fire alarm system upgrade. Specific projects have progressed but in the context of funding that limits staff hiring. Cuts were made in the education budget.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Overcrowding · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Overcrowding in the prison creates pressure in all areas. As such, can the Minister give an assurance that the impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 will be to reduce the number of prisoners being held in HMP Leeds?
Government response (as published)
Government will take forward majority of Gauke recommendations.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Education · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
During the reporting year, the IMB were told by prison teachers that the education budget for HMP Leeds was reduced by 40% (in common with a majority of other prisons within the Yorkshire and Humber region). Why was this level of cut delivered to education services during the budgeted year and does the Minister not think that this level of cut is deleterious to the provision of education to prisoners?
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Regime · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
What criteria is being used to determine the roll out of digitalisation across the prison estate and when will it be implemented in HMP Leeds? Can you confirm that being a cluster prison does not in itself accord priority for digitalisation?
Government response (as published)
Selection of a range of prison types to design and test software prototypes. Response did not make reference to when HMP Leeds may by digitised.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Staffing · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Certain Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports delivered during the reporting year, on occasion, have referenced the need for staff to be properly trained and resourced. As self-inflicted death have continued to increase during this reporting year, what are you doing to ensure that staff levels are taken into account the particular circumstances of the prison, including additional non-effective time for staff training?
Government response (as published)
Non-effective staffing levels were too high. Regime management plan was not sufficiently implemented. Information given on the current training provision but not specific to HMP Leeds.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Staffing
Recommendation (the Board's words)
During the reporting year, staff (officers and healthcare) morale was badly affected by the continuation of self-inflicted deaths from the preceding reporting year. What resources did you supply to support the local management team to support those staff members?
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Mental Health · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
The IMB has continued to see no improvement in the extent to which prisoners who have been assessed as requiring treatment in secure mental health facilities are quickly removed to those facilities. Does HMPPS agree that, whilst the prison may be a safe place to hold those prisoners, it is not an appropriate place to do so and what is it doing to put pressure on the NHS to reduce the time prisoners are having to wait before being transferred?
Government response (as published)
Recognises that there are delays in transfer to secure mental health estate. Expect that the Mental Health Bill will improve matters by requiring a 28 day time limit for patients with a mental disorder.
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
During the reporting year, the prison operated a restricted regime via a regime management plan for 53 days and an additional nine days for staff training. What is being done to ensure that this does not continue and, in particular, why are staff levels not being increased to take into account historic levels of staff not being available for work?
Government response (as published)
Staff shortages and the need for staff training have continued to result in the need to restrict regime.
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Safety · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Certain PPO reports highlight concerns that staff are not always following correct procedure, particularly in relation to prisoners on assessment, care in custody and teamwork (ACCT) documents (which are used to support prisoners who are at risk of self–harm and suicide) and/or procedures in the CSU. Is the Governor monitoring that this is being actively addressed?
Government response (as published)
Training has improved and swift disciplinary action was taken in relation to staff not following the correct procedure.