Peterborough

I appreciate the Board’s continued concerns about remand prisoners. Further to last years’ response, upon taking office the Deputy Prime Minister took action and funded a record high of 111,250 sitting days in the Crown Court this financial year. Custody Time Limits mean that there is a statutory obligation to prioritise the hearing of remand cases. However, the listing of cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. The Sentencing Bill, currently going through Parliament, introduces a package of amendments to the Bail Act 1976 to help reduce the prison remand population, while still ensuring public protection. This includes amendments to the “no real prospect” test, so that it applies to (i) where the court considers that there is no real prospect that the defendant will be sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence; and (ii) to defendants who have been convicted but are awaiting sentence. This measure seeks to complement another measure in the Bill – the presumption against short sentences – by limiting the use of custodial remand where a sentence of immediate imprisonment is unlikely. Another change involves amending the list of factors provided in the Bail Act that the court should consider where relevant. It will include explicit reference to whether a defendant is pregnant, a primary caregiver, or has been a victim of domestic abuse. The Bail Information Service also saw growth throughout 2025. They provide factual bail information reports for eligible defendants, to allow the judiciary to make an informed decision as to the best outcome for that individual defendant whether that is remand into custody or bail into the community. Additionally, on 2 December, the Government announced its response to Part one of the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts led by Sir Brian Leveson. Our proposals include a bold modernisation of the criminal courts to put victims first and restore public confidence in the system. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/government/news/deputy-prime-minister-to-announce-swift-and-fair-justice. Part two of the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts will consider how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, specifically looking at the efficiency and timeliness of processes. We expect to receive Sir Brian's report on court efficiency early next year and will consider his recommendations in full and will respond in due course. We firmly believe that all the steps we are taking will start to have a positive impact soon.

To address the challenges of a predominantly remand population, the prison has redesigned shift patterns and staffing provision. The education offer was also reviewed to focus on short, modular courses and vocational skills to meet the needs of a more transient population. The Offender Management team ensures most male prisoners have a named contact for early engagement and consistent planning, supported by weekly pre-release boards and resettlement support. Separately, the utilisation of a Bail Information Officer to expand bail options has facilitated reduced remand times.

Significant investment has been made in the development of a new approach to the management of the women’s prison, and the appointment of a new head of the women’s prison is imminent.

To address the challenges of a predominantly remand population, the prison has redesigned shift patterns and staffing provision. The education offer was also reviewed to focus on short, modular courses and vocational skills to meet the needs of a more transient population. The Offender Management team ensures most male prisoners have a named contact for early engagement and consistent planning, supported by weekly pre-release boards and resettlement support. Separately, the utilisation of a Bail Information Officer to expand bail options has facilitated reduced remand times.