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1602912

registered interest
date	09/03/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times he has (a) accepted and (b) not accepted a Parole Board recommendation of prisoner progression to the Category D estate in each of the last four quarters.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Riverside
tabling member printed	Kim Johnson
uin	162321
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State (or an official with delegated responsibility) will accept a recommendation from the Parole Board to approve an indeterminate sentenced prisoner (ISP) for open conditions, only where all criteria of the policy has been met. The policy and guidance were updated in June 2022. When considering whether to accept Parole Board recommendations for open conditions, each case is considered on its own merits, against the terms of the policy, taking into account all of the information provided. A period in open conditions is not essential in order for the Parole Board to direct release and time in open conditions must not be at the expense of public protection. The Prison Service operates progression regimes in four closed prisons which provide an alternative for prisoners unsuitable for open conditions. These allow prisoners to demonstrate the progress they have made in custody while minimising the risk to the public.</p><p> </p><p>Below is a breakdown of how many times the Secretary of State for Justice has accepted and not accepted the Parole Board’s recommendation:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2022 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Accepted</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Not Accepted</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Q1</strong></p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Q2</strong></p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>33</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Q3</strong></p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>58</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Q4</strong></p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>63</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 17/03/2023 14:41:03 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4824 label Biography information for Kim Johnson

1599605

registered interest
date	27/02/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure the safety of the general public when prisoners serving their sentence in open prisons are outside of the facility.
tabling member constituency	Somerton and Frome
tabling member printed	David Warburton
uin	153902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2023 answer text <p>Only those prisoners who have been assessed as presenting a low risk, including to victims, or have a suitable plan in place to manage identified risks, are allocated to an open prison. Once in open conditions prisoners may apply to be released on temporary licence (ROTL) for specified purposes, generally linked to resettlement.</p><p>Access to ROTL is not automatic but is subject to a further, rigorous risk assessment. Releases are monitored in line with the assessment and those who breach the strict conditions set may face a return to closed custody.</p><p>By providing opportunities to work, learn and build family ties, temporary release from prison reduces the chances of reoffending. Evidence shows the vast majority abide by their temporary release conditions, with a compliance rate of over 99%.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 06/03/2023 12:39:59 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4526 label Biography information for David Warburton

1244254

registered interest
date	16/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he retains the right to overrule a determination that an offender be transferred to an open prison.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	104738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2020 answer text <p>In producing an assessment of the likelihood that a prisoner will reoffend and of the harm which would result from any reoffending, offender managers in HM Prison and Probation Service will use approved and accredited assessment tools, notably the Offender Assessment System (OASys).</p><p>When assessing a prisoner’s risk of harm and risk of reoffending, offender managers have regard to the prisoner’s static and dynamic risk factors. A static risk factor is usually a feature of the prisoner’s past – such as his/her previous offending, the nature of his/her upbringing or how well s/he did at school. A dynamic risk factor may vary or be susceptible to change – such as alcohol abuse, drug taking or negative peer pressure. In order to assess a prisoner as low risk of harm and low risk of reoffending, offender managers would need to be satisfied that, based on the available evidence, the risk indicators do not point to medium or high risk. When assessing a prisoner’s suitability for open conditions, offender managers need also be satisfied that the prisoner presents a low risk of abscondment.</p><p>In the case of determinate sentence prisoners, the Prison Governor takes the decision as to whether to transfer a prisoner to open conditions, having regard to a comprehensive assessment of current risk, including the risk of abscond or other breach of the trust afforded by open conditions</p><p>In the case of indeterminate sentence offenders, other than where a prisoner has made demonstrably exceptional progress, the decision for a move to open conditions is taken by officials on behalf of the Secretary of State, following advice from the Parole Board. The Secretary of State does have discretion to reject a recommendation from the Parole Board, but because the Board undertakes a full and thorough risk assessment, the policy since 2008 has been to accept the Board’s recommendation other than in exceptional circumstances.</p><p>Consequently, officials will accept a Parole Board recommendation, except where the recommendation goes against the recommendations of the report writers without explaining why, or is based on inaccurate information. Officials will also reject a recommendation if they consider that the Secretary of State does not have a wholly persuasive case for transferring the prisoner to open conditions at the current time.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer grouped question UIN 104736 104737 question first answered 21/10/2020 16:03:43 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1242548

registered interest
date	12/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which agency makes the decision to transfer an offender to an open prison; what consultation takes place with (a) other agencies and (b) victims prior to that decision; and what risk assessments are undertaken on the effect of that transfer.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	102088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2020 answer text <p>The decision as to whether to transfer a prisoner to open conditions is a categorisation one for the Secretary of State, taken by officials under approved delegated authority on his behalf. Access to open prison conditions is not a right or an automatic progression but is based on a detailed assessment of risk.</p><p> </p><p>In the case of indeterminate sentence prisoners, the decision to approve a prisoner for transfer to open conditions is generally taken in response to a recommendation from the independent Parole Board. Before making such a recommendation, the Parole Board will undertake a full and thorough risk assessment. As part of the risk assessment, the Parole Board will consider a number of detailed reports prepared by qualified probation and prison staff, who will in their reports in turn take account of any other agencies involved in the case under the statutory Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>As there is such a comprehensive assessment of the prisoner’s risk, officials will accept a recommendation from the Parole Board, except where the recommendation goes against the recommendations of the report writers without explaining why or is based on inaccurate information. A recommendation may also be rejected if the Secretary of State considers that there is not a wholly persuasive case for transferring the prisoner to open conditions at the current time.</p><p> </p><p>In the case of determinate sentenced prisoners, only those prisoners who are assessed as low risk and are within three years of their earliest date of release may generally be considered for open conditions. Prisoners are assessed at the appropriate time by the prison in which they are located.</p><p> </p><p>Victims who have elected to receive the Probation Victim Contact Scheme are entitled to be told when a prisoner is being considered for open conditions and the outcome.</p><p> </p><p>This ensures that, once a prisoner is in an open prison, victims may make requests about licence conditions if the offender is considered for release on temporary licence.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 15/10/2020 12:54:00 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1177300

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for which offences were prisoners in open prisons or open wings of closed prisons serving their sentence as at 1 January 2020.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	14640
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2020 answer text <p>Re categorisation to security category D and allocation to open prison is not a right or an automatic progression. Only prisoners who have been risk assessed as manageable in very low security conditions will be transferred to an open prison. In cases of life sentenced or indeterminate sentenced prisoners the Parole Board will make a recommendation as to suitability for open conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The attached document shows a table of Sentenced prison population recorded as having a Category D individual-level security category as at 31 December 2019, England &amp; Wales. This includes 'Female Open' and 'YOI Open' categorised prisoners. It should be noted that whilst the majority of these prisoners would be held in open conditions (either in open prisons, or on open wings within closed prisons) a number of these prisoners would be in non-open conditions while awaiting transfer to open conditions.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/02/2020 14:20:16 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer attachment 1 file name PQ 14640 - Philip Davies - List of offences (1).pdf title Attachment
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

942569

registered interest
date	16/07/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) capacity and (b) occupancy is for each open prison for men in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	164507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>HM Prison and Probation Service publishes a breakdown of all population and capacity figures by prison at the end of every month which are accessible at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018</a> with the most recent available being for June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The following table identifies all open prisons in the adult male prison estate with their respective operational capacity, population and occupancy as at Friday 29 June 2018.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Prison Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Operational Capacity</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Population</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Occupancy</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Blantyre House</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>Prison not currently in use</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ford</p></td><td><p>544</p></td><td><p>535</p></td><td><p>98.35%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hatfield</p></td><td><p>378</p></td><td><p>374</p></td><td><p>98.94%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hewell Grange*</p></td><td><p>224</p></td><td><p>221</p></td><td><p>98.66%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hollesley Bay</p></td><td><p>480</p></td><td><p>466</p></td><td><p>97.08%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kirkham</p></td><td><p>653</p></td><td><p>586</p></td><td><p>89.74%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kirklevington Grange</p></td><td><p>283</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>93.64%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leyhill</p></td><td><p>515</p></td><td><p>513</p></td><td><p>99.61%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North Sea Camp</p></td><td><p>420</p></td><td><p>408</p></td><td><p>97.14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Prescoed</p></td><td><p>260</p></td><td><p>253</p></td><td><p>97.31%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Spring Hill</p></td><td><p>326</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>98.31%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Standford Hill</p></td><td><p>464</p></td><td><p>461</p></td><td><p>99.35%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sudbury</p></td><td><p>581</p></td><td><p>565</p></td><td><p>97.25%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thorn Cross</p></td><td><p>387</p></td><td><p>379</p></td><td><p>97.93%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*Hewell Grange is an open unit within a larger closed adult male prison.</p><p> </p><p>The table below identifies the two open prisons in the Female prison estate with their respective capacity, population and occupancy figures, also as at 29 June 2018.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Prison Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Operational Capacity</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Population </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Occupancy</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Askham Grange</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>110</p></td><td><p>85.94%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastwood Park</p></td><td><p>430</p></td><td><p>359</p></td><td><p>83.49%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Open conditions are an important means of testing and furthering the rehabilitation of offenders, especially those who have spent many years in closed conditions.</p><p>We keep the prison population and capacity under careful review to ensure that there is always sufficient capacity. Decisions on the future size of the prison estate will reflect the current and projected prison population, including an assessment of the necessary margin to manage population fluctuations.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 164508 question first answered 24/07/2018 14:59:38 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

942570

registered interest
date	16/07/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) capacity and (b) occupancy is for each open prison for women in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	164508
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2018 answer text <p>HM Prison and Probation Service publishes a breakdown of all population and capacity figures by prison at the end of every month which are accessible at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018</a> with the most recent available being for June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The following table identifies all open prisons in the adult male prison estate with their respective operational capacity, population and occupancy as at Friday 29 June 2018.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Prison Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Operational Capacity</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Population</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Occupancy</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Blantyre House</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>Prison not currently in use</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ford</p></td><td><p>544</p></td><td><p>535</p></td><td><p>98.35%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hatfield</p></td><td><p>378</p></td><td><p>374</p></td><td><p>98.94%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hewell Grange*</p></td><td><p>224</p></td><td><p>221</p></td><td><p>98.66%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hollesley Bay</p></td><td><p>480</p></td><td><p>466</p></td><td><p>97.08%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kirkham</p></td><td><p>653</p></td><td><p>586</p></td><td><p>89.74%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kirklevington Grange</p></td><td><p>283</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>93.64%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leyhill</p></td><td><p>515</p></td><td><p>513</p></td><td><p>99.61%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>North Sea Camp</p></td><td><p>420</p></td><td><p>408</p></td><td><p>97.14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Prescoed</p></td><td><p>260</p></td><td><p>253</p></td><td><p>97.31%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Spring Hill</p></td><td><p>326</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>98.31%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Standford Hill</p></td><td><p>464</p></td><td><p>461</p></td><td><p>99.35%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sudbury</p></td><td><p>581</p></td><td><p>565</p></td><td><p>97.25%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thorn Cross</p></td><td><p>387</p></td><td><p>379</p></td><td><p>97.93%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*Hewell Grange is an open unit within a larger closed adult male prison.</p><p> </p><p>The table below identifies the two open prisons in the Female prison estate with their respective capacity, population and occupancy figures, also as at 29 June 2018.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Prison Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Operational Capacity</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Population </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Occupancy</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Askham Grange</p></td><td><p>128</p></td><td><p>110</p></td><td><p>85.94%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastwood Park</p></td><td><p>430</p></td><td><p>359</p></td><td><p>83.49%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Open conditions are an important means of testing and furthering the rehabilitation of offenders, especially those who have spent many years in closed conditions.</p><p>We keep the prison population and capacity under careful review to ensure that there is always sufficient capacity. Decisions on the future size of the prison estate will reflect the current and projected prison population, including an assessment of the necessary margin to manage population fluctuations.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 164507 question first answered 24/07/2018 14:59:38 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

896266

registered interest
date	02/05/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners in open prisons as of 1 May 2018 have previously (a) absconded or failed to return to prison or (b) breached the conditions of their temporary licence.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	140680
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2018 answer text <p>On 31 March 2018 there were 5,092 prisoners recorded as being in open prisons. Three (0.06%) of those prisoners were recorded as having absconded between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2017, and 75 (1.47%) were recorded as having breached the conditions of their temporary release licence (including failure to return) between 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2017.</p><p> </p><p>Data on escapes and absconds, prior to 1 April 2010 could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost due to changes in recording practice.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on prison population, absconds and temporary release failures are published at different frequencies, and therefore data for each are available for different time periods. In answering this question, we have provided the latest published information in each area</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/05/2018 17:00:21 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

806730

registered interest
date	14/12/2017
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners convicted of murder were held in an open prison in each of the last five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
uin	HL4190
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/01/2018 answer text <p>This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 04/01/2018 14:21:09 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

694256

registered interest
date	24/02/2017
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Open Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving custodial sentences for serious violent and sexual assaults were held in open prisons on 1 January (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015, (d) 2016 and (e) 2017.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	65510
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 06/03/2017 17:40:10 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi