Prison fire safety - Lords committee to hear evidence

The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has launched a short inquiry into fire safety in prisons. This follows the Government's decision to not fulfill its commitment to install automatic fire detection in all prison cells by 2027, as well as the fire incident at HMP Highpoint earlier this year.   

The committee will hold its first evidence session tomorrow with personnel from HMPPS. 

Giving evidence will be:

• James McEwen, CEO, HMPPS  

• Alfred Jackson, Director of Prison Policy and Analysis  

• Cohen Lewis, Deputy Director for HMPPS Estates, Safety, and Litigation 

Possible questions include:

• How would the current level of fire safety risk across the prison estate be described? What independent assessment has been made to inform this?   

• How do prisons currently manage fire risk, and what happens when there is a fire? 

• What fire detection and suppression technologies are currently used in prisons? 

•  What are the current inspection and oversight arrangements for fire safety in prisons and how effective are they? 

• What are the main barriers to improving fire safety infrastructure across the prison estate? 

• What training is currently provided to prison staff in relation to fires and fire safety? 

• Do prison governors currently have the powers they need to manage fire safety risks effectively? What additional powers or levers, if any, would governors need to improve fire safety? 

• What plans does the Government have to improve fire safety in prisons in the long-term? What funding has been allocated to this work, and what guarantee is there that it will not be used for other purposes? 
   

The session will take place on Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 10:30am and can be followed live on Parliament TV.