6

Produce a comprehensive 15-year public workforce plan with targets to reduce prison staff vacancies.

Recommendation
The Government must produce a comprehensive, public workforce plan for the prison system (including the women’s and children’s estate) for the next fifteen years, modelled on the process used for the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, with commencement of that planning process within three months. This plan should include targets to reduce the number of vacancies at each grade. (Recommendation, Paragraph 36)
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 30 January 2026. Response attribution to this recommendation has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
Ministry of Justice
Timeline
Recommendation age 0.8 yr
Report published 14 Nov 2025