PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Prisons: Greater London (28 January 2021)

The safety of our staff and those under our supervision remains a top priority. We have taken quick and decisive action – backed by Public Health England and Wales – to limit the spread of the virus across all prison establishments.

Due to the current risk level posed by Covid-19, all adult prisons are currently operating a Stage Four regime, as outlined in our National Framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-national-framework-for-prison-regimes-and-services). This involves restrictions to reduce contact between people and therefore reduce the chance of transmission. We are keeping the level of restriction necessary under close review. We must continue to respond in a measured way in line with public health advice to ensure our approach is proportionate and legitimate, as we have done throughout.

Staff deaths in London prisons related to COVID-19 up until 31^st October, includes deaths where HMPPS staff have died having tested positive for COVID-19 or where there was a clinical assessment that COVID-19 was a contributory factor in their death. These figures include both directly and non-directly employed staff. This information is published on a quarterly basis and the next publication is scheduled for 18 February 2021.

The prisons listed are those within the London Prison Group.

As of Friday 29 January, all establishments listed, with the exception of Feltham, currently have a declared Covid-19 outbreak. An outbreak is defined as two or more prisoners or detainees or staff in the prescribed place of detention who meet the case definition for COVID-19 or have a positive test result and among whom transmission was likely to have occurred within a 14-day period.