Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prison Capacity

Tuesday 28 January 2025 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Luke Myer expressed concern about insufficient youth custody space in prisons.
  • The government contracts with local authorities for secure children's homes to accommodate young people.
  • The government plans to build 14,000 new prison places as part of a 10-year capacity strategy.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Myer Lab Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Justice & Courts
Context

The local police force is concerned about the lack of space in secure custodial estates for young people, who are at risk from criminal exploitation. The number of Ministry of Justice contracted spaces has fallen since 2010.

Question

I welcome the Government’s action to increase prison capacity, but I am worried about youth custody. My local police force is particularly concerned that there is simply not enough space in the secure custodial estate for young people at risk of being exploited by organised criminal gangs. The number of Ministry of Justice contracted spaces has fallen since 2010 and is now around only 100 for the entire country, which is appalling. How will the Minister work with Department for Education to increase capacity, and protect vulnerable young people and our residents?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)

We certainly do not wish to reduce capacity. I can confirm that we contract with local authorities’ secure children’s homes, and place children there. In 2010 we contracted for 191 beds, and currently we contract for 103. That correlates with a decrease in the number of young people in custody, mostly over the period when the Conservatives were in government. We do not currently intend to reduce overall capacity in the youth custody service estate, which comprises young offender institutions, secure training centres, secure school and SCH beds. However, we are recommissioning secure children’s home places, and cannot predetermine the outcome of that exercise, but I assure my hon. Friend that we will not run out of space.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific timeline or concrete actions to increase capacity in secure children's homes

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Q2 Mark Sewards Lab Leeds South West and Morley
Justice & Courts
Context

The December annual report stated that of the 88,400 prison places available, 97% are occupied. It estimated a capacity of around 99,000 by 2032, but the central estimate for the number of prisoners stands at 104,100.

Question

December’s annual report on prison capacity stated that of the 88,400 prison places available, 97% are occupied, and it estimated that by 2032 we will have a prison capacity of around 99,000, but the central estimate of the number of prisoners stands at 104,100. What will this Government do to ensure that everyone who commits a crime worthy of prison is sent to prison?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)

I assure my hon. Friend that people who commit a crime worthy of prison will be sent to prison. As we have assured the House, we have plans to build 14,000 new prison places, as set out in our 10-year capacity strategy. In six months we have added 500 prison places. It took 14 years for the Conservatives to do that. We have also launched an independent sentencing review, so that we never run out of places again.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures or commitments on how to address the shortfall between prison capacity and prisoner numbers

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