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1253369

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Visits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect family visits to prisoners in England and Wales to resume; and whether they intend to give priority to the most vulnerable (1) prisoners, and (2) families.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10476
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>Following the reintroduction of national lockdown measures on 5 November, we have paused face-to-face social visits in prisons in England. There are exemptions for compassionate reasons, including visits to children in custody. Family visits in Wales are permitted, although in some establishments with active outbreaks they have been temporarily suspended on public health grounds. We will reintroduce face-to-face social visits as soon as safe to do so, guided by public health advice alongside an operational assessment of what can safely be implemented.</p><p>Prioritisation of visits is done locally, but we have instructed governors to consider the needs of vulnerable prisoners in their implementation plans.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 13:42:40 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1253370

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales to extend the Early Conditional Temporary Release Scheme; and when they intend to make a decision on that matter.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10477
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>In April we introduced the End of Custody Temporary Release (ECTR) scheme. It allowed for the early release of stringently assessed low-risk prisoners who were within two months of their release date. It freed up space across the estate so that all prisons could effectively control the spread of the virus by quarantining new arrivals, isolating those with symptoms and shielding vulnerable offenders. This was based on advice from Public Health England and was necessary to protect life and avoid thousands of prisoners becoming infected, overwhelming local NHS services.</p><p>The ECTR scheme was paused in August, as it was no longer a necessary part of our overall response. Throughout the pandemic our response has been based on public health advice, and this decision will be kept under constant review over the coming weeks and months.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 17:44:53 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1253372

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Social Security Benefits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to enable prisoners to submit claims for (1) Universal Credit, and (2) other benefits, as early as possible prior to their release.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10478
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>We have been working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to improve access to financial support for prisoners and prison leavers. As part of the Government’s Covid-19 response, DWP established a bespoke telephony service to enable those released from prison to make a claim for Universal Credit. All prisoners receive information about the telephone line as part of the Discharge Pack that is issued to them as they leave prison. This service remains in place to assist prison leavers to make benefit claims quickly on release.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 13:42:56 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1253373

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Mental Health
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to reduce mental ill health among prisoners by providing facilities for (1) exercise, (2) education, and (3) work; and how those facilities have been affected by COVID-19 precautions.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>The Covid-19 pandemic and the necessary regime restrictions introduced in response to it have brought new and different challenges across the estate. Maintaining safety and the mental health and wellbeing of prisoners has remained a priority throughout. A range of products have been made available to support Governors in devising and implementing local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate any risks. Governors are required to agree a health delivery plan which includes how mental health support will be delivered during COVID-19.</p><p>We have tailored guidance for supporting specific groups of people in prison whose wellbeing may be more impacted by the Covid-19 measures put in place, including older prison residents, those with learning difficulties and groups known to be at increased risk of self-harm, suicide, or violence.</p><p>We have piloted improvements to Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT), which is the multidisciplinary case management approach used in prisons when someone is thought to be at risk of self-harm or suicide. Following a pause, due to the implementation of Covid-19 measures, we are currently planning the resumption of the roll-out of revised ACCT across the prison estate.</p><p>In addition, video health conferencing has been rolled out across the estate to support the delivery of mental health services by enabling contact with community and hospital services. Governors are also considering how mental health services can support people with the potential increased anxiety or other mental illnesses related to Covid-19, as well as ‘lockdown’ experiences and restrictions.</p><p>A range of internal initiatives have been developed, including the development of weekly national wellbeing content through HMPPS Psychology Services and prison radio content focussed on wellbeing. We have also been working with education providers to support prisons in the adult estate. This has allowed us to enable learning to continue via in cell activity, distraction material and learning packs. Within the Youth Secure Estate the delivery of education remains a particular priority as we seek to mirror the position taken for vulnerable children in the community, where it is possible to do so.It is our desire to continue to provide ‘face to face’ classroom-based education, notwithstanding local variations and the impact of potential outbreaks amongst staff or children.</p><p>In relation to exercise, since the beginning of the pandemic prisons have been authorised to use external exercise yards for access to the open air and to deliver external physical education. All sites have also set out how they will provide prisoners with time out of cell, and the safe equivalent of association time.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 13:43:32 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1253375

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners on Remand
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners in England and Wales are on remand awaiting trial; and what steps they are taking to reduce that number.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>As at 30 September 2020, there were 8,444 prisoners in England &amp; Wales held on remand awaiting trial. This information is included in Table 1.1 of prison population statistics which can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/930646/Population_30Sep2020.ods" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/930646/Population_30Sep2020.ods</a></p><p>The decision to remand someone is a matter for the independent judiciary. Defendants can be remanded where there is a risk they may abscond or commit offences if released on bail.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 13:44:52 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1253376

registered interest
date	18/11/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Nigeria: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the report from its National Bureau of Statistics, published on 23 April, which found that more than 70 per cent of that country's prison population is on remand without sentence.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL10481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government shares the concern about the findings in the report by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics. Although we have not discussed this specific report with the Nigerian authorities, officials at our High Commission have raised the issue of the large numbers of prisoners awaiting trial and the need for due process to be followed in a timely manner in all cases. It is important that the federal and state governments take steps to reduce the number of prisoners on remand without sentence. Our High Commission will continue to engage with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice on this subject.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 02/12/2020 12:45:33 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton