A white paper Prison Safety and Reform was published in November
2016 setting out government proposals. A bill followed but did
not complete its passage through Parliament due to the calling of
a general election. No prisons legislation was announced in the
2017 Queen's Speech. The Justice Secretary has said work on
prison reform will continue.
The white paper: Prison Safety and Reform
The 2015-17 Conservative government published a white paper
on Prison
Safety and Reform in November 2016. It set out
proposals which aimed to deal with increasing levels of
violence and self-harm in prisons and the persistently high
levels of reoffending. A central proposal was greater autonomy
for prison governors which was being piloted in six ‘reform
prisons’.
Other key proposals included were:
- ‘sharper’ inspection and scrutiny arrangements
- Additional funding with 2500 more prison officers by 2018
- More extensive drug testing, including on entry to and exit
from prison
- New prison league tables covering public protection, safety
and order, time out of cells and prisoners’ progress in
education, health and work
- A stronger role for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons
- A new duty for the Secretary of State to intervene when
prisons are failing
- All prisoners to be allocated a dedicated officer to
oversee their progression through custody.
The Prisons and Courts Bill 2016-17
The white paper was followed by the introduction of the Prisons
and Courts Bill published in February 2017. The Bill contained
provisions relating to a number of the reforms set out in the
white paper which required legislation. The Bill had second
reading in March 2017 but did not complete committee stage,
falling at the dissolution of Parliament in May 2017.
The Prisons and Courts Bill 2016-17 contained clauses
concerning:
- the statutory purpose of prisons;
- the role of the Secretary of State in relation to prisons;
- the role and powers of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
Prisons;
- the status and powers of the Prisons and Probation
Ombudsman;
- disruption of unlawful mobile phone use; and
- testing for new psychoactive substances.
For detail regarding the Bill see the Library
briefing The
Prison and Courts Bill – Prison aspects, 15 March 2017,
prepared for second reading. Also: Justice
Committee, Prison
reform: Part 1 of the Prisons and Courts Bill, HC 1150, 28
April 2017.
The 2017 Queen's Speech and an open letter from
the Justice Secretary
The Conservative party manifesto for the 2017 general election
included measures on prison reform. No prison reform
legislation was announced in the 2017 Queen’s Speech on 21 June
2017. Some expressed disappointment, including the Chief
Inspector of Prisons who called it a missed opportunity. In
an open
letter published on the same day the newly appointed
Justice Secretary, , said that work on prison
reform would continue.
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