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1253983

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which prisons currently have video calling facilities to allow people in prison to maintain contact with family members; what plans they have, if any, to expand such facilities across the prison estate; and what the cost of video calls will be under any such plans.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Gloucester
uin	HL10509
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2020 answer text <p>We recognise that family contact provides a crucial lifeline for prisoners. Following the re-imposition of national restrictions on 5 November, we have paused face-to-face social visits in prisons in England, except on compassionate grounds, including visits to children in custody. Family visits in Wales are permitted in line with restrictions in the community, 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>For those prisons that do not have access to in-cell telephony, we introduced over 1,500 secure mobile handsets which can be used to contact family and friends via the usual PIN phone system. In addition, the Prison Voicemail service and Email a Prisoner service are available in all prisons. There are also further initiatives such as unmarked letter writing resources, ‘Bedtime Stories’ which allow residents to record themselves reading a story to their child, and opportunities to make items that they can send to them.</p><p>Secure video calls provide another option for families, including those with children of all ages, to stay in touch. Arrangements for secure video calls have been introduced in virtually all prisons across England and Wales. Details of which prisons are operating live services for families and friends can be accessed on GOV.UK. The remainder of the estate is expected to have these facilities by the end of December. We have committed to the fact that there will be no cost of video calls to either families or those in custody during this time. At the appropriate time, we will consider future options for video calling across the estate beyond Covid-19 restrictions.</p><p>We continue to learn lessons from this to inform both the current service and longer-term planning in line with the recommendations of Lord Farmer’s reviews for maintaining family ties.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook grouped question UIN HL10508 question first answered 03/12/2020 17:56:21 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	4540 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Gloucester

1241778

registered interest
date	08/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons in England and Wales have a prison video link.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	101003
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>101 sites across the men’s, women’s and youth custody estate have at least one prison video link. Work is in hand with the aim of equipping all prisons with video links by the end of this financial year, subject to any unforeseen impacts of Covid-19.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 16/10/2020 11:27:05 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1238817

registered interest
date	29/09/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons did not have secure video calling technology being used by prisoners as of 28 September 2020.
tabling member constituency	West Ham
tabling member printed	Ms Lyn Brown
uin	96822
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2020 answer text <p>We fully acknowledge 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 including the introduction of secure video calls.</p><p>As of 28 September, we have live services operating in 103 out of the 110 establishments in scope of the roll-out. The seven prisons which have not yet been able to go live are: HMPs Hollesley Bay, Kirkham, Leyhill, Swaleside, The Mount, Warren Hill and, Oakhill Secure Training Centre. These establishments have all taken receipt of the necessary equipment and staff have been trained. However, they have experienced networking and connectivity issues and, in some cases, have had to wait for broadband upgrades to the establishments as a whole. They are currently undertaking test calls and expect to go live as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 07/10/2020 16:01:53 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

1203009

registered interest
date	11/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the announcement on 15 May 2020 to introduce video calling in the absence of family visits to prisons, when his Department plans to roll out video calling to the remainder of prisons in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	58630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2020 answer text <p>We have introduced temporary emergency video calling in recognition of the<br> importance of maintaining family contact while social visits have been temporarily suspended in<br> prisons in England and Wales. We have published information regarding the provision of video<br> calls on GOV.UK and made clear we will continue to expand secure video calling to more establishments during this time. Details of which prisons are operating live services for families and friends can be accessed via the following link;</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call</a><br> <br> At the appropriate time, we will consider future options for video calling beyond<br> Covid-19 restrictions.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 18/06/2020 15:15:48 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1200752

registered interest
date	04/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government when they intend to make the provision of secure video calls in prisons subject to a competitive procurement following the current pilot.
tabling member printed	Lord Garnier
uin	HL5294
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>We have introduced a temporary emergency video calling solution in recognition of the importance of maintaining family contact while social visits have been temporarily suspended in prisons in England and Wales. We have committed to the fact that there will be no cost of video calls to either families or those in custody during this time. At the appropriate time, we will consider future options for video calling across the estate beyond Covid-19 restrictions, which may include a competition for such services.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL5295 question first answered 16/06/2020 16:45:17 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	337 label Biography information for Lord Garnier

1200753

registered interest
date	04/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Video Conferencing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require prisoners or their families to pay for secure video calls; and if so, (1) from when, and (2) what the charge for a call will be.
tabling member printed	Lord Garnier
uin	HL5295
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>We have introduced a temporary emergency video calling solution in recognition of the importance of maintaining family contact while social visits have been temporarily suspended in prisons in England and Wales. We have committed to the fact that there will be no cost of video calls to either families or those in custody during this time. At the appropriate time, we will consider future options for video calling across the estate beyond Covid-19 restrictions, which may include a competition for such services.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL5294 question first answered 16/06/2020 16:45:17 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	337 label Biography information for Lord Garnier