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<p>We fully recognise the importance of family contact for those in custody in line
with the recommendations of Lord Farmer’s Reviews. This is why following the necessary
suspension of prison visits in March, to keep prisoners, their families and staff
safe during the pandemic, we introduced a range of measures. We rolled-out more than
1,200 secure mobile PIN phone handsets which are being used to contact family and
friends, bolstered support for the Prisoner’s Families Helpline and introduced secure
video calls which are currently operating in over 100 prisons across England and Wales,
including all female and youth establishments.</p><p>We published arrangements for
the recommencement of face-to-face social visits in the National Framework for Prison
Regimes and Services, and visits recommenced in early July, in an adapted, Covid-secure
manner. Currently most prisons have now commenced physical visits.</p><p>Currently,
up to two adults and two children are permitted to visit for a minimum of 45 minutes
in prisons where it is safe to do so. Guidance on visits protocols for each prison,
including steps we are taking to keep visitors safe, is published on <a href="http://gov.uk/"
target="_blank">GOV.UK</a> at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-someone-in-prison-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-someone-in-prison-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic</a></p><p>This
sets out differences in the adult and youth estates but otherwise this applies for
visits to all categories of prisoner. We aim to continue to expand visit arrangements
as part of further relaxations to prison regimes, as it is safe to do so, and in line
with public health advice.</p>
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