PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
PRISONS ANNUAL REPORT (19 July 2015)

That this House is gravely concerned by the findings within the Chief Inspector of Prisons recently published annual report for 2014-15; notes the sharp decline across the prison estate in several areas including safety, respect, resettlement and purposeful activity; is aware that prisoners are now more likely to be murdered, assaulted or fall victim to self-harm or suicide than they were five years ago; is shocked that assaults on prison staff have risen by 28 per cent since 2010 and serious assaults have risen by 58 per cent; further notes that since 2010 staff numbers have continued to decline from 45,080 to 32,100 while the prison population has risen to 85,681, 97.7 per cent of operational capacity; is appalled by the report's findings that squalid and cramped living conditions are common across the estate due to overcrowding; and therefore calls on the Government and the Ministry of Justice urgently to review the situation on the prisons estate across England and Wales to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners is no longer compromised and to ensure that the growing prison estate is staffed sufficiently.

Sponsored by:
Ian Lavery (Labour)