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1225831

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Wellingborough Prison
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the BBC report of 9 July 2020 entitled G4S selected to run Wellingborough mega prison, whether minimum staffing levels at the new prison will be contractually mandated; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	75304
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2020 answer text <p>The competition for the operation of the new prison at Wellingborough has not yet concluded as we are still in the standstill period. We intend to announce the outcome in due course.</p><p> </p><p>The operator contracts between the Department and all private prison providers require the Contractor to be responsible for all staffing matters, including ensuring staff have the training and experience necessary for safe and decent prisons. This is monitored to ensure the standards are maintained across the lifetime of the contract. Mandating minimum staffing levels for private prison operators would restrict their ability to introduce and foster innovation, and their flexibility to adjust their staffing levels across the lifetime of the contract according to the needs and demands created by any changes to the prison population or in risk. It could also deter them from engaging with expertise and professional support in the local and wider community and hinder their ability to respond quickly to new challenges and opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the Prison Operator Competition, subject matter experts scrutinise and validate proposed staffing levels within operators’ bids to ensure delivery of operations to a decent, safe, secure and rehabilitative standard. The competition for the operation of the new prison at Wellingborough was not about the difference or preference between the public and private sector. We have been clear through this competition we expected bidders to provide high quality, value for money bids that deliver effective regimes to meet the specific needs of prisoners. Our priority is to help prisoners turn their lives around to prevent reoffending and future victims.</p><p> </p><p>We hold both public and private sector prisons to account for the outcomes they deliver. PSI 2017/07 only applies to public sector prisons, however, private prisons will have their own similar systems in place to ensure they provide the required services and use the levels of staff determined as required and appropriate. These are robustly scrutinised for the lifetime of the contract to ensure that the required standards are met.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, construction at the new prison at Wellingborough and early works at Glen Parva has continued safely, with workers following PHE guidance and the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operating Procedures. We expect the new prison at Wellingborough will open late 2021.</p><p> </p><p>While no decisions have been made on who will operate the recently announced four new prisons, we maintain this government’s commitment to a mixed market in custodial services. It is our ambition that at least one of these new prisons will be operated by the public sector. In this scenario, HMPPS would not be required to go through a bidding process. In the event that any of the new prisons were competed these would be done through the Prison Operator Services Framework via a mini competition. In this case, HMPPS would not take part in the mini competition but would instead provide a public sector benchmark against which operators’ bids can be assessed. If bids do not meet quality or value for money thresholds, HMPPS would take on the operator role.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 75305 75306 75307 75308 question first answered 21/07/2020 15:22:13 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1202293

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Courts: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether workplace risk assessments were (a) shared and (b) agreed with staff unions before the decision to reopen courts was taken; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	57975
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>As a Government, we have outlined the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus, and the control measures required to avoid exposure and transmission. In parallel, we have been clear that the work of the justice system must continue throughout the prevailing public health emergency. Accordingly, it has been necessary to keep some courts and tribunal buildings open, and we are working hard to open more so long as that can be achieved safely.</p><p>HMCTS is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all staff, members of the judiciary and visitors to its sites, as far as it is reasonably practical whilst they are on the premises.</p><p>In order to aid implementation of the required control measures, and to monitor and assure ourselves of compliance, we developed and implemented an assessment tool to be carried out in each of our open sites.</p><p>The tool was developed in consultation with trade union health and safety representatives. The finalised tool was issued to each site, with instruction that it should wherever possible be completed in conjunction and consultation with a Trade Union representative. I understand that wherever possible our officials did conduct those assessments with trade union colleagues, and continue to do so as the results are regularly reviewed.</p><p>We are confident that our open sites are safe, and can confirm risk assessments will be available to be shared on request very soon.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/06/2020 15:50:00 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1202294

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Courts: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information on assessed risks from covid-19 in courts was shared with staff unions before jury trials restarted; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	57976
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>A judicial led Jury Trials Working Group (JTWG) was set up to establish ways in which jury trials can be commenced safely. The JTWG developed a Crown Court Jury Trial checklist which was discussed with the Departmental Trade Union Side (DTUS) on 30 April and a copy shared with them on 4 May. Completed risk assessments were shared with the DTUS before the first jury trials resumed on 18 May.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/06/2020 15:51:21 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1202295

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of availability of personal protective equipment for HM Courts and Tribunal Service staff who are not able to socially distance in the workplace during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	57977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2020 answer text <p>HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service has comprehensively assessed the risk to its staff and users. We have published and implemented safety controls to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.</p><p> </p><p>Face coverings are available on request for staff, judges and jurors. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is available to staff where local assessments show that this is necessary. In line with Government guidance, PPE will be reserved for those most at risk of close contact through their workplace, such as security officers involved in interventions, fire-marshals and first-aiders.</p><p> </p><p>We are keeping the use and distribution of PPE under close review and we will continue to ensure that we comply with Government guidance.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/06/2020 15:52:31 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1185442

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the viability of releasing low-risk prisoners to ease overcrowding during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	29947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>We have no plans to release prisoners or to use prison ships in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.</p><p>HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.</p><p>In line with broader clinical advice, HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus.</p><p>Our capacity to isolate prisoners varies across the estate depending on the type of establishment, its configuration and the category of prisoner held. Each establishment has in place local contingency plans setting out how it will manage should isolation of prisoners be necessary.</p><p>People in prison custody who become unwell have the benefit of on-site NHS healthcare services which provide the first line assessment and treatment response. HMPPS has worked closely with our partners in the NHS to make arrangements for transfer to hospital should an individual be sufficiently unwell to require hospital admission, building on our business as usual procedures for access to healthcare.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 29948 question first answered 19/03/2020 15:27:30 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1185443

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the viability of using prison ships to ease overcrowding during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	29948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>We have no plans to release prisoners or to use prison ships in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.</p><p>HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.</p><p>In line with broader clinical advice, HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus.</p><p>Our capacity to isolate prisoners varies across the estate depending on the type of establishment, its configuration and the category of prisoner held. Each establishment has in place local contingency plans setting out how it will manage should isolation of prisoners be necessary.</p><p>People in prison custody who become unwell have the benefit of on-site NHS healthcare services which provide the first line assessment and treatment response. HMPPS has worked closely with our partners in the NHS to make arrangements for transfer to hospital should an individual be sufficiently unwell to require hospital admission, building on our business as usual procedures for access to healthcare.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 29947 question first answered 19/03/2020 15:27:30 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1182274

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Officers: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Prison Service Pay Review Body Summary of England and Wales Visits 2019, published in February 2020, what steps he is taking to address the finding in that report that the Band 3 prison officer pay scale was not a wage staff could live on or afford a mortgage with.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	24342
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>We are giving staff the tools they need to do the job safely – rolling out PAVA incapacitant spray, and investing £100 million, as part of a wider £2.75 billion package, to fund tough airport-style security that will clamp down on the illicit items which fuel violence and hinder rehabilitation.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice is actively engaged with the Prison Service Pay Review Body in support of their evidence gathering process and we look forward to receiving their considered recommendations later this year. To maintain the integrity of this independent process we will not be commenting on any material that will not be formally published. The document referred to is not a published document.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 24343 24344 24345 24346 question first answered 11/03/2020 11:44:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1182275

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Service: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Prison Service Pay Review Body Summary of England and Wales Visits 2019, published in February 2020, what steps he is taking to address the finding in that report that Operational Support Grade staff reported that they could earn more working in factories and supermarkets.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	24343
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>We are giving staff the tools they need to do the job safely – rolling out PAVA incapacitant spray, and investing £100 million, as part of a wider £2.75 billion package, to fund tough airport-style security that will clamp down on the illicit items which fuel violence and hinder rehabilitation.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice is actively engaged with the Prison Service Pay Review Body in support of their evidence gathering process and we look forward to receiving their considered recommendations later this year. To maintain the integrity of this independent process we will not be commenting on any material that will not be formally published. The document referred to is not a published document.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 24342 24344 24345 24346 question first answered 11/03/2020 11:44:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1182278

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison and Probation Service: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Prison Service Pay Review Body Summary of England and Wales Visits 2019, published in February 2020, what steps he is taking to address the finding in that report that there was an overall picture of low morale with a feeling that the HM Prison and Probation Service did not value its staff.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	24345
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>We are giving staff the tools they need to do the job safely – rolling out PAVA incapacitant spray, and investing £100 million, as part of a wider £2.75 billion package, to fund tough airport-style security that will clamp down on the illicit items which fuel violence and hinder rehabilitation.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice is actively engaged with the Prison Service Pay Review Body in support of their evidence gathering process and we look forward to receiving their considered recommendations later this year. To maintain the integrity of this independent process we will not be commenting on any material that will not be formally published. The document referred to is not a published document.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 24342 24343 24344 24346 question first answered 11/03/2020 11:44:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1182281

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Prison Service Pay Review Body Summary of England and Wales Visits 2019, published in February 2020, what steps he is taking to address the finding in that report that some prisons were struggling with the roll out of the Key Worker scheme due to staffing levels, and a high non-effective rate, which had delayed the associated roll-out of the use of PAVA spray in prisons.
tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
uin	24346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>We are giving staff the tools they need to do the job safely – rolling out PAVA incapacitant spray, and investing £100 million, as part of a wider £2.75 billion package, to fund tough airport-style security that will clamp down on the illicit items which fuel violence and hinder rehabilitation.</p><p>The Ministry of Justice is actively engaged with the Prison Service Pay Review Body in support of their evidence gathering process and we look forward to receiving their considered recommendations later this year. To maintain the integrity of this independent process we will not be commenting on any material that will not be formally published. The document referred to is not a published document.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 24342 24343 24344 24345 question first answered 11/03/2020 11:44:06 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon