Analysis by Labour has shown that the Covid-19 outbreak in
prisons is beginning to spread out of control, with a record
number of deaths in December.
By 30 November 2020, a total of 47 prisoners died either having
tested positive for Covid-19 or where there was a clinical
assessment that Covid-19 was a contributory factor in their
deaths. In the month of December alone there were 24 new prisoner
deaths, bringing the total death toll to 71.
MP, the
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, said:
“It is frightening that the government has lost control of the
virus in prisons.
“More staff and inmates will die if Ministers do not get control
of this pandemic. Outbreaks in prisons can also pump the virus
outside of their walls, overwhelming local hospitals and
infecting the rest of the community.
“The government must rapidly roll out vaccines across the country
so that we can secure our economy, protect our NHS and rebuild
Britain.
Note to editors:
- The total number of deaths relating to covid-19 in prisons up
to 30 November was 47 according to official statistics available
here.
- The total number of deaths of prisoners each week in December
is available in the three tables below, which are available
online here.
|
Table 1 - Provisional COVID-19 data1
on Prison and Youth Custody Service, service users,
England and Wales, week ending 28 December 2020 and 4
January 2021
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Numbers
|
|
|
|
|
Week ending
|
|
|
|
|
28/12/2020
|
|
04/01/2021
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
related to COVID-192
|
|
10
|
|
0
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
10
|
|
0
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
suspected or confirmed as due to
COVID-193
|
|
7
|
|
0
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
7
|
|
0
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total service users4 testing positive
for COVID-19
|
|
342
|
|
296
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
342
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
(c)
|
|
|
Total number of sites reporting positive COVID-19
results5
|
|
55
|
|
47
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: MoJ/HMPPS
administrative systems and data collections
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 1 - Provisional COVID-19 data1
on Prison and Youth Custody Service service users,
England and Wales, week ending 14 December 2020 and 21
December 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Numbers
|
|
|
|
|
Week ending
|
|
|
|
|
14/12/2020
|
|
21/12/2020
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
related to COVID-192
|
|
3
|
|
7
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
3
|
|
7
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
suspected or confirmed as due to
COVID-193
|
|
3
|
|
2
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
3
|
|
2
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total service users4 testing positive
for COVID-19
|
|
595
|
(r)
|
811
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
c
|
|
c
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
c
|
|
c
|
|
|
Total number of sites reporting positive COVID-19
results5
|
|
55
|
(r)
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: MoJ/HMPPS
administrative systems and data collections
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 1 - Provisional COVID-19 data1
on Prison and Youth Custody Service service users,
England and Wales, week ending 7 December 2020 and 14
December 2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Numbers
|
|
|
|
|
Week ending
|
|
|
|
|
07/12/2020
|
|
14/12/2020
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
related to COVID-192
|
|
4
|
|
3
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
4
|
|
3
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total prisoner and children in custody deaths
suspected or confirmed as due to
COVID-193
|
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total service users4 testing positive
for COVID-19
|
|
363
|
(r)
|
463
|
|
|
Prison Service
|
|
363
|
(r)
|
*
|
|
|
Youth Custody Service
|
|
0
|
|
*
|
|
|
Total number of sites reporting positive COVID-19
results5
|
|
46
|
(r)
|
49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: MoJ/HMPPS
administrative systems and data collections
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 3,460 prisoners or children tested positive for COVID-19
since the start of the pandemic, across 110 establishments,
almost all of whom were adults. The number of new monthly
confirmed cases has increased by 1,825 since October 2020. 81
establishments had prisoners or children testing positive in
November 2020”
HM Prison and Probation Service COVID-19 Official Statistics
Data to 30 November 2020 Ministry of Justice Published 18
December 2020,
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945608/HMPPS_COVID19_NOV20_Pub_Doc.pdf
