Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 July 2026
Correspondence from Jake Richards MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing and Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, dated 7 July 2026: Publication of HM Inspectorate of Prisons Annual Report 2025-26
From: Justice Committee
Summary
Jake Richards MP and Lord Timpson write to the Justice Committee Chair on 7 July 2026 to inform him of the publication of the HM Inspectorate of Prisons Annual Report 2025-26. They acknowledge serious concerns identified by inspectors across safety, purposeful activity, living conditions, overcrowding, and healthcare, while highlighting some positive developments and recent improvements in safety statistics. The government outlines action being taken across multiple fronts, including capacity expansion, sentencing reform, and efforts to reduce drugs, violence, and delays in healthcare and release planning.
Key findings
- The HMIP Annual Report 2025-26 identifies serious concerns in safety, purposeful activity, living conditions, overcrowding, and healthcare, with four Urgent Notifications issued during the reporting year.
- Recent quarterly safety statistics (April 2025) show reductions in self-harm and staff assaults in the 12 months to December 2025, and decreased self-inflicted deaths in the 12 months to March 2026.
- The government is addressing prison population pressures through delivery of 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 (supported by £4.7 billion investment) and Sentencing Act reforms expected to reduce the prison population by around 7,500 by February 2028.
- Government is taking action on drugs, violence reduction, healthcare access, mental health support, youth custody, court custody conditions, and is developing an Older Prisoners Strategy to address an ageing population.
- The Independent Review of the Prison System, chaired by Amber Rudd and launched this month, will provide evidence and options for long-term prison system improvement.
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Jake Richards MP, Lord Timpson, Andy Slaughter MP, Charlie Taylor, Amber Rudd, HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Ministry of Justice, HMPPS
Notable line
“The Government recognises the concerns raised and is taking action to address them.”
Key Quotes
“The report identifies serious concerns across a number of areas, including safety, purposeful activity, living conditions and overcrowding, and health care.”
“… quarterly safety statistics, published in April, indicate reductions in self- harm and staff assaults in the 12 months to December 2025, and a decrease in self-inflicted deaths in the 12 months to March 2026 …”
“… delivering 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, supported by £4.7 billion of investment, and opening more than 3,000 places since taking office”
“… reforms through the Sentencing Act are expected to reduce the prison population by around 7,500 by February 2028, while maintaining public protection and improving outcomes for victims”
“We have written separately to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, setting out the Government's full response to the issues raised.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗