Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prison Estate Conditions

Tuesday 21 November 2023 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Rachael Maskell asked about unsanitary conditions and lack of mental health support for a constituent in prison.
  • The Minister responded with details on capital and maintenance spending, mentioning investments of 217 million in 2021-22 and 73 million in Yorkshire since 2020.
  • The Minister highlighted a 4 billion investment to improve prison conditions, including education, skills training, and substance misuse support.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Justice & Courts NHS Mental Health
Context

A constituent faced poor living conditions at HMP Hull, including lack of sanitation and mental health support. This case highlights inadequacies in rehabilitation conditions.

Question

My young constituent was locked in a cell with unsanitary conditions for 23 hours daily without specialist mental health support. When will such draconian conditions end? What steps will be taken to ensure rehabilitation, not punishment?

Answer from Edward Argar

If the hon. Lady would like to write to me, I will look into her case specifically. Broadly, £217 million was invested in 2021-22 for capital and maintenance spending, up from £149 million in 10-11. Since 2020, £73 million has been spent on projects across Yorkshire. Security is vital for creating safe rehabilitation conditions, and we work closely with the NHS to improve mental health support.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific case at HMP Hull was not directly addressed with a timeline or commitment.

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Q2 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Justice & Courts
Context

The government is assessing the adequacy of prison conditions for offender rehabilitation. This question seeks specific details on current investments and future plans.

Question

What assessment has been made regarding the conditions in prisons to ensure proper rehabilitation? What measures are being taken to improve these conditions?

Answer from Edward Argar

We will invest nearly £4 billion by the end of the spending review period to deliver 20,000 modern prison places. Investments include education and skills training, support for substance misuse, treatment, and improvements in rehabilitative spaces through employment hubs and HMP academies programme.

Answered
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