Visits play an important part of reducing reoffending as good relationships with family and friends is proved to reduce risk of reoffending.<\/p>
The management and guidance for the use of closed visits is within Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 15/2011. The PSI specifies that closed visits should be imposed where there is an identified risk of smuggling prohibited items.<\/p>
We recognise the benefits that Internet Based Video Services (IBVS) can provide in assisting prisoners with maintaining family ties. At present, however, prisoners are not allowed to use an IBVS as a way of communicating, due to operational concerns about the control measures available to safeguard the use of such communications. Work is currently underway to explore the options for the use of IBVS in establishments with strict safeguards in place, and the possibility of making greater use of such within prisons in the near future.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "187327"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:14:17.617Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Visits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of closed-contact visits in prisons to prevent smuggling.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"} ], "uin" : "187326"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000223", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000223/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Visits play an important part of reducing reoffending as good relationships with family and friends is proved to reduce risk of reoffending.<\/p>
The management and guidance for the use of closed visits is within Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 15/2011. The PSI specifies that closed visits should be imposed where there is an identified risk of smuggling prohibited items.<\/p>
We recognise the benefits that Internet Based Video Services (IBVS) can provide in assisting prisoners with maintaining family ties. At present, however, prisoners are not allowed to use an IBVS as a way of communicating, due to operational concerns about the control measures available to safeguard the use of such communications. Work is currently underway to explore the options for the use of IBVS in establishments with strict safeguards in place, and the possibility of making greater use of such within prisons in the near future.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "187326"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:14:17.667Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Video Conferencing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the merits of using video technology to allow relatives and friends to speak to convicted prisoners at appointed times.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"} ], "uin" : "187327"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000236", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000236/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The additional funding for targeted expenditure is intended to be spent on maintenance and safety in our prisons. The Department is currently working on allocating the exact split of funding across the prison service, and consequently, we do not have the funding broken down by the category of spend you have requested.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-14T16:57:14.373Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Ministry of Justice secures extra £52 million for targeted expenditure, published on 30 October 2018, how much of the £30 million allocated to prisons this financial year will be spent on (a) staff, (b) maintenance, (c) new equipment, (d) training and (e) other categories of spending.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burgon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burgon"} ], "uin" : "187363"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000237", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000237/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In Budget 2018, the Ministry of Justice received £52m additional funding, for which the allocation between resource and capital will be confirmed within the Supplementary Estimate.<\/p>
<\/p>
This will fund £30m of further improvements to safety, security and decency, £15 million on the maintenance and security of our court buildings, and another £6.5 million to be invested across the wider justice system, including a further £1.5 million for the Parole Board to boost its operational capacity.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Treasury have also committed to funding the cost of building a new prison at Glen Parva in Leicestershire.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "187365"} , {"_value" : "188116"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:32:27.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Justice: Capital Investment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total additional funding allocated to his Department for capital expenditure in Budget 2018 was.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burgon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burgon"} ], "uin" : "187364"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000238", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000238/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In Budget 2018, the Ministry of Justice received £52m additional funding, for which the allocation between resource and capital will be confirmed within the Supplementary Estimate.<\/p>
<\/p>
This will fund £30m of further improvements to safety, security and decency, £15 million on the maintenance and security of our court buildings, and another £6.5 million to be invested across the wider justice system, including a further £1.5 million for the Parole Board to boost its operational capacity.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Treasury have also committed to funding the cost of building a new prison at Glen Parva in Leicestershire.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "187364"} , {"_value" : "188116"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:32:27.637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Justice: Public Expenditure"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total additional funding allocated to his Department for resource expenditure in Budget 2018 was.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burgon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burgon"} ], "uin" : "187365"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000240", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000240/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Serious Fraud Office is an independent Government organisation and as such the MoJ is not necessarily informed of ongoing investigations and has no control over any investigations or timescales of such<\/p>
<\/p>
It would not be appropriate for the MoJ to comment on any ongoing investigation by the Serious Fraud office or to prejudge any potential outcome in any award decisions as such activities are subject to the Public Contracts Regulations and are published in accordance with standard practice.<\/p>
<\/p>