Justice Committee to question Minister and Prisons Director General Operations over Government’s response to urgent notifications in prisons
The Justice Committee holds an evidence session with Edward Argar, Prisons, Parole and Probation Minister and Phil Copple, Director General Operations, HMPPS (HM Prison and Probation Service) to scrutinise the Government’s response to prison urgent notifications.
Five Urgent Notifications (UNs) were issued in the last 12 months, including: HMP Exeter, HMP Bristol, HMP Woodhill, HMP Bedford, plus HMPYOI Cookham Wood. MPs on the cross-party committee will hear evidence on the responsiveness to issues amid concerns over safety, staffing, recruitment and retention, high levels of violence and self-harm.
Meeting details
The session also examines overcrowding and cell-sharing, drug misuse and the amount of purposeful activity available to prisoners. The Justice Committee launched an inquiry into the future prison population and estate capacity in September after long-standing warnings on overcrowding and the deteriorating condition of prison buildings.