Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prisoners: Skills Development

Tuesday 28 March 2023 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial efforts include renewing the prisoner education service and establishing an employability innovation fund.
  • The government is investing in the probation service to increase staff numbers and provide necessary support.
  • Up to 18 new drug recovery wings are being created to help prisoners achieve abstinence from illicit drugs and prescribed substitutes.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Stephen Metcalfe Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of skills training for prisoners which could prevent them from successfully reintegrating into society.

Question

What steps he is taking to help prisoners develop new skills?

Answer from Damian Hinds

Among other things, we are renewing the prisoner education service, establishing an employability innovation fund, and ensuring that skills acquired match business need through close work with employers.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Bob Blackman Con Harrow East
Housing Employment
Context

The MP references his own act which ensures that prisoners are housed properly upon release to prevent homelessness. He highlights the importance of education in preventing reoffending.

Question

Under my Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, prison governors have a duty to ensure that people leaving prison are housed properly after they have served their sentence. It is vital that, to prevent reoffending, we ensure that prisoners get the best possible education. What extra measures is he considering to ensure that prisoners are given the skills they need to rebuild their lives after they have served their sentence?

Answer from Damian Hinds

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he did, through the Homelessness Reduction Act, to support prisoners throughout our communities. He is right to identify not only the importance of skills and getting into work, but the need for direct support with accommodation. We are investing heavily in expanding transitional accommodation at the different levels.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific measures beyond housing

How: Under Review

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP cites the chief inspector of probation's description of the service as being in survival mode due to staffing pressures.

Question

We all want to see more people rehabilitated from the Prison Service. The Minister will know, however, that His Majesty's chief inspector of probation has described that service as “in survival mode” due to staffing pressures and huge workloads. What does he expect his Department to do to put that right?

Answer from Damian Hinds

In relation to the probation service, which I think the hon. Gentleman is asking about, we are investing in increasing staff numbers and ensuring that those staff have the right support, and we have seen those staff numbers grow.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q4 Stephen Metcalfe Con
Justice & Courts Mental Health
Context

The MP points out that substance abuse is a barrier to skills training for prisoners.

Question

Getting prisoners with substance abuse issues into meaningful skills training first requires getting them off drugs. Can my right hon. Friend tell the House what he is doing to help prisoners and to tackle drugs in prisons?

Answer from Damian Hinds

My hon. Friend is quite right; that is a crucial part of the jigsaw, together with maintaining family ties. In a major new initiative, we are creating up to 18 new drug recovery wings so that prisoners can focus on achieving abstinence not only from illicit drugs, but from prescribed substitutes.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP notes that the Shannon Trust found that half of prisoners cannot read or struggle with it, emphasizing the need for basic literacy education.

Question

The Shannon Trust—no connection to me, by the way—has concluded that 50% of people in prison cannot read or struggle to do so. What steps are being taken to ensure that basic literacy and reading skills are taught at all prisons for all ages across the United Kingdom?

Answer from Damian Hinds

We all trust Shannon; the hon. Gentleman is quite right to draw attention to the good work of his namesake trust, which for many years has operated a very good peer model in our prisons, where prisoners help other prisoners. We also work with the trust directly on other programmes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: concrete measures to address illiteracy

How: We Are Working With

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email