Forest Bank

Having read your report with care, I do understand the capacity pressures prisons have been facing nationally but there are no plans to increase the capacity at HMP Forest Bank currently. All additional prisoner places within the HMP Forest Bank contract have been applied and the increase in capacity during the reporting year returned the prison to its original operational capacity. This had previously been reduced as the prison was subject to contractual action through a Rectification Notice. However, steps are being taken aimed at addressing prison capacity. In July 2024, the Lord Chancellor announced a package of measures including changing the automatic release point for those serving standard determinate sentences from 50% to 40%. In December 2024, the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy was published which sets out the delivery of 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 consisting of the construction of four new prisons, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate and temporary accommodation. An Annual Statement on prison capacity was also published at this time, which provides additional transparency to hold this and future governments to account on long-term planning to ensure that decisions on prison demand and supply are balanced.

The Government does recognise the pressure that HMPPS is operating under and it remains a priority to maximise the capacity in reception prisons to be able to serve the courts. For this reason, two prisons, HMP Liverpool and HMP Holme House have been re-rolled to increase reception capacity and HMP Brixton will also re-roll to a reception and resettlement prison serving the local courts. HMPPS will continue to undertake transfers in accordance with Offender Flow rules despite the continued population pressures across the entire adult male prison estate. It is also acknowledged that due to the Remand and Convicted Unsentenced population remaining at unprecedented levels, alongside national prison capacity remaining challenging, prisons are continuing to show flexibility with their prisoner cohorts. However, prisons will continue to ensure that the rehabilitation needs of each prisoner are met and protected and most prisoners continue to be held in the right place at the right stage of their sentence to get the help they need to manage their risks.

I was reassured to read about the prisons progress in proactively tackling drug, illicit items, organised crime and corruption.

National action to be taken on this thematic finding. NHS good practice guidance sets out that cases should be resolved in 28 days. Referenced the National Partnership Agreement on Health and Social Care in England, which was published in February 2023.

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) commented that the prisoner escort and custody service (PECS) supplies support for disruptive prisoners on a case-by-case basis.

During the reporting period, the Director sent a directive to wings that, during an incident, a dynamic risk assessment should be performed vs, the entire wing subjected to losing association, isolating the offending prisoners. The senior leadership team (SLT) has also allowed some trusted prisoners to escort themselves (to healthcare, social visits, education, industries, adjudications), with officers placed statically, monitoring activity and opening gates when needed.