Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems

Justice Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 31 Mar 2020 Closed: 29 Apr 2021 Parliament page
This inquiry looked at the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on prisons, probation services, court systems and legal professions. Read the key points in an interactive summary of our four reports on the impact of coronavirus on the justice system .
26 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
3 Reports
80 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 87 events
9 Mar
2021
Correspondence
24 Feb
2021
Correspondence
24 Feb
2021
Correspondence
3 Feb
2021
Correspondence
3 Feb
2021
Correspondence
27 Jan
2021
Correspondence
19 Jan
2021
Correspondence
19 Jan
2021
Formal meeting · Virtual meeting
15 Jan
2021
Correspondence
18 Dec
2020
Report published
16 Dec
2020
Correspondence
15 Dec
2020
Correspondence
Recommendations & Conclusions
18 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The Committee recognise that Covid-19 has required an immediate and unprecedented response and praise the...
The Committee recognise that Covid-19 has required an immediate and unprecedented response and praise the probation staff and offenders for adapting to the current situation. The Committee are aware that the NPS and CRCs may differ in their models of … Read more
Government Response
The government states that guidance to CRCs was issued through Exceptional Delivery Models and Cabinet Office Public Procurement Notices, and HMPPS is monitoring delivery via a comprehensive recovery dashboard, a National Recovery Board, 12 regional recovery boards, and specific recovery workstreams.
Ministry of Justice
View details
5 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The Committee are pleased to see the commitment from HMPPS to learn from the current...
The Committee are pleased to see the commitment from HMPPS to learn from the current model of delivery. We recommend that HMPPS update the Committee on Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on probation systems 23 progress of this piece of work, … Read more
Government Response
HMPPS has developed a programme to capture and share learning from the Covid-19 response, integrating data, staff and service-user perspectives, and international practice, with a focus on remote supervision, alternative delivery models, and staff wellbeing. The government commits to updating the Committee on the progress of this work.
Ministry of Justice
View details
6 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Staff shortages and increased workloads within the probation service preceded the Covid-19 outbreak.
Staff shortages and increased workloads within the probation service preceded the Covid-19 outbreak. Whilst the Committee recognise that Covid-19 means that some areas of work have stopped, it is clear that staff workloads are still extremely high, and staff morale … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to increase recruitment with a minimum of 1000 new probation officers in training by January 2021. It details a Covid-19 Staff Wellbeing Plan, a forthcoming wellbeing toolkit, and a comprehensive wellbeing action plan in the Probation Workforce Strategy, including Mental Health Allies and a new Recovery Workstream.
Ministry of Justice
View details
7 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
At the best of times, release from prison can be a difficult time for many,...
At the best of times, release from prison can be a difficult time for many, however, Covid-19 has created a very different environment for those released from prison to enter. Service provision in the community has changed substantially and it … Read more
Government Response
The government details several measures put in place for prison leavers during Covid-19, including providing phones, discharge packs, requiring Through the Gate providers to focus on resettlement needs, and establishing Homelessness Prevention Taskforces.
Ministry of Justice
View details
10 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The probation service has been in a continual state of reform and uncertainty for the...
The probation service has been in a continual state of reform and uncertainty for the past five years, and is now adapting to the challenges presented by Covid-19. Whilst the announcement is a welcome one, the new model is expected … Read more
Government Response
The government states that Annex 1 provides the detailed timeline for the probation service transition and outlines ongoing oversight by an independent challenge panel and the IPA, with a further IPA review in late September 2020.
Ministry of Justice
View details
4 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
The Committee recognise the severity of the current regime in prisons and commend both staff...
The Committee recognise the severity of the current regime in prisons and commend both staff and prisoners for responding and adapting to current circumstances. We are pleased to hear reports that the prison population have been largely compliant with changes … Read more
Government Response
HMPPS states they have restarted elements of the regime and are supporting mental health by implementing new training, reviewing healthcare, rolling out a revised ACCT framework, and implementing the OMiC model to support prisoners at risk of self-harm.
Ministry of Justice
View details
5 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out what additional mental health support is...
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out what additional mental health support is available for prisoners and what their long-term plan is to mitigate the effect lockdown may have on the mental health of prisoners should prisons remain … Read more
Government Response
The government details a range of existing products, guidance, and regime mitigations, including a self-help tool and family contact support, that have been implemented to support prisoners' mental health throughout the pandemic and will remain in place until Spring 2021.
Ministry of Justice
View details
6 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
It is vital that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family and friends, particularly...
It is vital that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family and friends, particularly at such an uncertain time. Family contact is essential to a prisoner’s wellbeing and resettlement, and we welcome measures taken to ensure that prisoners are … Read more
Government Response
HMPPS fully recognises the importance of family contact and has continued to roll out video calling to over 110 prisons, with facilities expected in every establishment by the end of the year, in addition to providing extra PIN telephone credit and mobile PIN phones.
Ministry of Justice
View details
9 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
We are pleased to hear that more than 98% of the prison estate now has...
We are pleased to hear that more than 98% of the prison estate now has cohorting in place. This appears to have been an effective strategy for containing the spread of the virus and protect the lives of staff and … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms that 100% of prisons have fully implemented cohorting strategies, including compartmentalisation, and credits these existing measures with preventing explosive outbreaks and protecting lives.
Ministry of Justice
View details
10 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
The Committee welcome the Government’s decision to temporarily release pregnant women and women in prison...
The Committee welcome the Government’s decision to temporarily release pregnant women and women in prison with their children, whenever it is safe to do so. The Committee recognise that this cohort of women require specialist support in the community, but … Read more
Government Response
The government provides a detailed explanation for the number of temporary releases, citing the need for case-by-case risk assessments for public protection, some prisoners' unwillingness or ineligibility, and the requirement for safe accommodation and support post-release. It states 54 prisoners had been released by the end of September.
Ministry of Justice
View details
12 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
It is not clear what impact increased court activity will have on the prison population,...
It is not clear what impact increased court activity will have on the prison population, and how MoJ and HMPPS intend to manage any potential influx as a result of increased court activity. The Committee are pleased to note that … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, publishing updated prison population projections on November 26, 2020, which factored in increased police numbers. They also outlined ongoing assessments, investment plans, and measures to manage potential prison population influxes resulting from increased court activity.
Ministry of Justice
View details
16 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
We are concerned that there does not appear to be a sufficiently clear, separate plan...
We are concerned that there does not appear to be a sufficiently clear, separate plan on how the youth custodial estate will transition out of the current lockdown phase. We agree that plans need to be flexible enough to accommodate … Read more
Government Response
The government states its National Framework is flexible for the youth estate and the Youth Custody Service has developed specific Exceptional Delivery Models, prioritised education, and commissioned research with workshops scheduled to implement learning from COVID-19 experiences into future regimes.
Ministry of Justice
View details
1 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Legal professionals have adapted impressively quickly to working from home and holding and attending hearings...
Legal professionals have adapted impressively quickly to working from home and holding and attending hearings remotely, but this can be difficult. Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice, told us that “the quality of the kit matters a great … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the committee's conclusion, detailing its innovative adaptations including the national rollout of Cloud Video Platform (CVP) and providing guidance for remote hearings. They stated a commitment to continue improving court technology and monitoring the impact of video and audio use, alongside increasing video capacity in prisons.
Ministry of Justice
View details
7 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Law centres and other not-for-profit legal advice providers are also at great risk.
Law centres and other not-for-profit legal advice providers are also at great risk.
Government Response
The government agreed with the committee's observation, stating it secured £5.4 million in emergency grant funding for not-for-profit legal providers and is working with partners to deliver new national-level services, with a further £2 million to be awarded to smaller organizations this autumn.
Ministry of Justice
View details
9 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The Legal Aid Agency has made changes to help the legal professions.
The Legal Aid Agency has made changes to help the legal professions. For example, it has made it easier to claim interim and hardship payments, aligned some fees for remote work with those for in-person work, and halted pursuit of … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the committee's observation by detailing various measures introduced by the Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency to support legal aid providers during the pandemic, including expanding hardship payments, pausing debt pursuit, suspending sanctions, and injecting up to £51 million into criminal legal aid.
Ministry of Justice
View details
10 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The support provided by the Government is welcome, but it cannot compensate for the significant...
The support provided by the Government is welcome, but it cannot compensate for the significant drop-off in the amount of work being done and remove the risk of a collapse in legal services providers. (Paragraph 32) The way ahead
Government Response
The government acknowledged the committee's conclusion by detailing existing financial support measures available to the legal sector, such as SEISS, various loan schemes, and VAT deferral. They defended eligibility criteria for some schemes and committed to continuing to monitor the legal aid market to understand firm responses to COVID-19 and take necessary action.
Ministry of Justice
View details
14 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers further grants for law centres and other...
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers further grants for law centres and other not-for-profit legal services providers that are at risk of collapse. The Ministry of Justice should report back to us with its decision and provide its … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it has already secured £5.4 million in emergency grant funding for not-for-profit legal providers and plans to award a further £2 million to smaller organizations this autumn. They also outlined ongoing work with partners to deliver new national-level services.
Ministry of Justice
View details
16 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
We urge the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to continue to be...
We urge the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to continue to be creative as to how legal aid is administered so that the legal professions are not further damaged by inflexible processes and contractual requirements on top … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it will continue to work closely with the Legal Aid Agency to ensure a flexible and supportive approach, building on existing measures like bi-monthly meetings, revised guidance, and ongoing engagement with representative bodies. They also noted future reviews, including the next phase of the Criminal Legal Aid Review and assessments of civil legal aid sustainability, to ensure the market meets future demands.
Ministry of Justice
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 42 of 26 classified
Accepted 18
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 8
Rejected 2
Total 26 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 80 letters
9 Mar 2021 Letter dated 4 March 2021 from Sir Robert Neill MP, Chair, Justice Committee, to the Attorney General, on Statutory Instrument - The Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 (Specified Proceedings) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Order 2021
Parliament page
24 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 16 February 2021, regarding funding of Nightingale court sites
Parliament page
24 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 9 February 2021, regarding the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 Order 2021
Parliament page
3 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 29 January 21, regarding Custody Time Limits
Parliament page
3 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 January 2021, regarding Rapid Testing pilot at Manchester Civil Justice Centre
Parliament page
27 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 20 January 2021, regarding follow up to the evidence session on 1 December
Parliament page
19 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 13 January 2021, regarding Prosecution of Offences Regulations 2021
Parliament page
15 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 8 January 2021, regarding evictions SI
Parliament page
16 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Foreign and Commonwealth Office, dated 16 December 2020, regarding Lugano
Parliament page
15 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 8 December 2020, regarding update on coronavirus protection from evictions
Parliament page
1 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice, dated 25 November 2020, regarding custody time limits
Parliament page
25 Nov 2020 To committee Letter from Sir Robert Neill MP, Chair, Justice Committee, to Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on Public Health (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction and Taking Control of Goods) (England) Regulations 2020
Parliament page
13 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 7 October 2020, regarding issuing of fixed penalty notices
Parliament page
29 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 22 September 2020, regarding update on IMBs findings
Parliament page
29 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 September 2020, regarding the resumption of possession proceedings after 20 September
Parliament page
16 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 16 September 2020, regarding Fixed Penalty Notices
Parliament page
10 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 10 September 2020, regarding extension of the stay on possession proceedings
Parliament page
9 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 24 August 2020, regarding extending the temporary stay on possession proceedings
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from Fair Trials
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 19 July 2020, regarding additional Courts and Tribunals Capacity programme
Parliament page
15 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 7 July 2020, regarding the impact of COVID-19 on criminal enforcement
Parliament page
8 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 30 June 2020, regarding Court and Tribunal recovery update
Parliament page
8 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 2 July 2020, regarding update on IMB findings
Parliament page
1 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from Chris Philp MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, dated 17 June 2020, regarding release of HMCTS' weekly operational management information dashboard
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Law Centres Network
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Young Legal Aid Lawyers
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Law Society's Junior Lawyers Division
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Legal Aid Practitioners
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Transform Justice
Parliament page
24 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Arthur Michael Robinson
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 Covid-19 briefing from Unlock
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon The Lord Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, dated 9 June 2020, regarding open justice
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 Covid-19 briefing from Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 Covid-19 briefing from Criminal Justice Alliance
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 10 June, regarding reforms to probation services
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 3 June 2020, regarding update on findings
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, regarding Covid 19 plans for easing of restrictions
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Juliet Lyon, Chair, Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, dated 1 June 2020, regarding rapid review of prisoner experiences under Covid-19
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 3 June 2020, regarding SI on Prosecution of Offences Act 1985
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Attorney General, dated 9 June 2020, in response to her letter of 3 June
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from the Children's Rights Alliance for England and the Youth Justice Legal Centre, part of Just for Kids Law
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Chris Philp MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, dated 3 June 2020, regarding changes made to mitigate the impact of Covid 19 on the Courts and Tribunal System
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 26 May 2020, regarding HMPPS reporting of staff cases of Covid-19
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 22 May 2020, regarding deployment of temporary Accommodation across the Prison Estate as part of covid 19 mitigation plan
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from JUSTICE
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 28 May 2020, regarding covid 19 testing for prison and probation staff
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Howard League for Penal Reform
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 May 2020, regarding CPT Statement of Principles
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020 Covid 19 briefing from Clinks
Parliament page
28 May 2020 COVID-19 briefing from NACRO
Parliament page
28 May 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
28 May 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Clinks
Parliament page
28 May 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 15 May 2020, regarding Covid 19 in prisons family contact
Parliament page
22 May 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 11 May 2020, regarding resumption of jury trials
Parliament page
13 May 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 4 May 2020, regarding COVID 19 testing for prison and probation staff
Parliament page
5 May 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, dated 5 May 2020, regarding Covid-19 impact on legal sector
Parliament page
5 May 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, dated 28 April 2020, regarding update on the Prison Estate
Parliament page
5 May 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 April 2020, regarding Covid 19 in prisons PHE modelling
Parliament page
28 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Susan Acland-Hood, Chief Executive, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, dated 27 April 2020, relating to Covid 19 the impact on prison, probation and court systems
Parliament page
22 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 6 April 2020 regarding an update on Covid-19
Parliament page
22 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 1 April 2020, regarding temporary release from custody of pregnant prisoners
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Women in Prison: additional material on women's Centre planning for release
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Transform Justice
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from JUSTICE
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Sir Robert Neill to Lord Chancellor, dated 8 April 2020 regarding Committee hearing on 7 April 2020
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from the Public and Commercial Services Union
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Women in Prison
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from an Individual Barrister
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from INQUEST
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Prison Governors Association
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Magistrates Association
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Switchback
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Standing Committee for Youth Justice
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Revolving Doors Agency
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Howard League
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 To committee Letter from Chair to Chancellor of Exchequer, dated 8 April 2020, on future of legal professions
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020 COVID-19 briefing from Criminal Justice Alliance
Parliament page