Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

HMP Lewes

Tuesday 3 June 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • HMPPS continues to monitor HMP Lewes closely and has noted further improvements.
  • The Minister indicated willingness to provide a full update on actions taken at HMP Lewes to interested parties.
  • The Government is investing up to 300 million in 2025-26 to maintain prison safety and security.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 James MacCleary Lib Dem Lewes
Justice & Courts
Context

The latest inspection of HMP Lewes found that levels of violence, self-harm and drug use remain notably worse than at other reception prisons. Just one third of prisoners are engaged in education or employment.

Question

What specific steps are the Government taking to support the governor’s efforts, to ensure that these early improvements can be turned into lasting change?

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

HMPPS continues to monitor the prison carefully, and the chief operating officer’s visit on 7 May found a number of further improvements. If the hon. Gentleman wants to write to me, I can send him a full update on the actions being taken in relation to that prison.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific steps or commitments for addressing the issues at HMP Lewes.

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Q2 Brian Leishman Lab Alloa and Grangemouth
Justice & Courts
Context

There are concerns that privatised contracts for prison maintenance have been detrimental to prisons. The last Government’s report recommended more privatisation.

Question

Will the Minister release the last Government’s report recommending more privatisation of prison maintenance, suitably redacted if necessary?

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

A lot of the information is commercially confidential, but we are investing up to £300 million in 2025-26 to keep our prisons safe and secure. We have a prison estate conditions survey programme in place to better understand our estate.

Not addressed: The answer did not address the request for releasing the report on privatisation recommendations.

How: Discussed Investment Instead Of Release Of Report

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