Justice and Home Affairs Committee hears from the Howard League for Penal Reform in ther second evidence session for their inquiry into Fire Safety in Prisons
The Committee will continue its inquiry into fire safety in prisons by hearing from Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns, and Sinead MacCann, Managing Solicitor at the Howard League for Penal Reform.
Purpose of the session
The session is the second in a number of evidence sessions dedicated to the topic of Fire Safety in Prisons. The Committee will ask about the current levels of fire safety risk in the prison estate, current fire detection and suppression technologies in use, and staff levels, support and training available. The session will also focus on current inspection and oversight arrangements, HMPPS's fire safety framework, and capacity constraints.
Meeting details
Possible questions:
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How effective are the current inspection and oversight arrangements for fire safety in prisons? Given Crown Immunity, what levers can be pulled to ensure the government act
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HMPPS has said that they do not expect the completion of fire safety works to be completed until the early 2030s. What is the Howard League’s response to this? What timelines and priorities should be implemented?
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With respect to fire safety, what are the main differences between public and private prisons?
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The vast majority of fires are started deliberately by prisoners. What steps can be taken to reduce the number of incidences?