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Prison reform inquiry

Inquiry

The Justice Committee issues a report giving its views on Part 1 of the Prisons and Courts Bill, which contains those parts of the prison reform agenda which the Government considers need to be pursued through legislation.

The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 23 March 2017, and, following the House's agreement to the holding of an early general election, will not be proceeded with in this Parliament. The Public Bill Committee charged with considering the Bill did not proceed to consider all parts of the Bill, although it did finish debating Part 1 of the Bill before Easter.

The Justice Committee issued an initial call for evidence on 27 July 2016.

As details of the reforms were still emerging, we posed high-level questions in our inquiry's terms of reference. In doing so we wish to seek overall views which will be followed up in greater detail with a series of sub-inquiries on the White Paper.

Terms of reference: Prison reform

Governor empowerment and prison performance

The Committee's first sub-inquiry focused on the policies on governor empowerment and prison performance announced in the Ministry of Justice's Prison Safety and Reform White Paper.

The Committee welcomed the principle of governor empowerment, but noted that greater clarity about the practical implications of these policies was required and risks would need to be mitigated.

Government Response

Estate modernisation

The Committee's second sub-inquiry focuses on Estate modernisation. The Government has announced it is closing some prisons and building new ones; the Committee seeks views on the Government's approach to estate modernisation within the context of its wider prison reform programme.

Sub-inquiry: Estate modernisation

Work news

Proposed statutory purpose for prisons welcomed

Justice Committee calls for Prisons and Courts Bill to include decent and fair environment for prisoners

Prison governor empowerment: greater clarity needed

Justice Committee report on prison performance and empowerment of prison governors

Prison Reform: Estate modernisation

Justice Committee announces a second sub-inquiry for its Prison Reform inquiry focusing on Estate modernisation

Minister questioned on prison reform and governor empowerment

Justice Committee questions private prison providers and the Minister of State for Prisons and Probation

28 February 2017

Prison reform: Education and healthcare commissioning

Justice Committee examines proposals to give prison governors more power over education and healthcare

21 February 2017

Government's plans to improve prison performance examined

Justice Committee hears from the independent bodies that scrutinise the performance of prisons

31 January 2017

Prison reform: Governor empowerment and prison performance

Justice Committee hears from academics, researchers and the Prison Officers' Association

18 January 2017

Prison reform: empowering governors to improve prison performance?

Justice Committee hears from the governors of the six 'reform prisons'

8 December 2016

Prison Reform: governor empowerment and prison performance

Justice Committee issues a call for written submissions on governor empowerment and prison performance

1 December 2016

Prison reform: the greatest overhaul of prisons in a generation?

Justice Committee hears on the recently published Prison Safety and Reform Plan

30 November 2016

Prison safety and reform examined by Committee

Justice Committee hears from Sam Gyimah MP and Michael Spurr, National Offender Management Service

23 November 2016

Prison reform: the greatest overhaul of prisons in a generation?

Justice Committee evidence session with reform prison governors and executive governors is postponed

15 November 2016

Cancelled: Reform Prisons examined

Justice Committee evidence session with reform prison governors and executive governors is postponed

10 November 2016

Prison reform programme examined by Committee

Justice committee launches inquiry into the Government's ambitious programme of reforms

Contact us

Email: justicecom@parliament.uk
Phone: 0207 219 3939 (general enquiries)
Address: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA