§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on private companies providing remunerated work-based prison regimes within the prison estate; and if he will make a statement [2120]
§ Beverley HughesThe Prison Service is keen to work with outside contractors to provide increased and better quality employment opportunities for prisoners, where local circumstances permit. However, the primary aim of regimes for prisoners is to address their offending behaviour and improve their employability so as to reduce the risk that they will re-offend on release. It is important that regimes provide a mix of offending behaviour, drugs treatment and educational programmes and resettlement activities as well as work and vocational training.
The private sector was originally introduced into prison management because of the possible benefits of cost and speed of delivery but also the prospect of improvements in the quality of prison conditions Where a prison is under private sector management, the contract requires employment and other purposeful activity to be provided and specifies the level of provision.