Prison estate capacity

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 31 Oct 2024 Closed: 16 May 2025 Parliament page
The prison population was 87,538 people at the end of January 2024, with many adult male prisoners being held in cells designed for fewer occupants. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) committed to providing 20,000 additional prison places by the mid-2020s, deriving from a … Read more
9 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
3 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 7 events
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
7 Jul
2025
Correspondence
16 May
2025
Report published
31 Mar
2025
Correspondence
14 Mar
2025
Report published
27 Jan
2025
Oral evidence
27 Jan
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
27 Jan 2025
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Amy Rees · HMPPS Dame Antonia Romeo DCB · Ministry of Justice Jim Barton · HM Prisons and Probation Service Ross Gribbin · Ministry of Justice
Title HC No. Published Items Response
15th Report - Prison estate capacity HC 366 14 Mar 2025 28 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
13 Conclusion Not Addressed
15th Report - Prison estate capaci…
Ministry of Justice projects significant prison capacity shortfall by early 2026
According to its December 2024 statement on prison capacity, in its central forecast MoJ will run out of capacity again by early 2026 and will be 5,400 places short by November 2027.40 This is lower than the 12,400 places shortfall … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation and states HMPPS acknowledges the importance of addressing the prison estate maintenance backlog, with future investment decisions depending on the outcome of the ongoing Spending Review round.
HM Treasury
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19 Conclusion
15th Report - Prison estate capaci…
HMPPS extended Dartmoor lease despite radon, requiring further investment for reopening
To help with capacity pressures, HMPPS recently extended its lease for HMP Dartmoor by 25 years, starting in 2023–24, despite the detection of radon gas in 2020. It closed the prison temporarily in July 2024, following the detection of high … Read more
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 9 classified
Accepted 18
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 5
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 2
Total 9 recs + 19 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
4 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive of HM Prison and Probation Service relating to the 15th Report of Session 2024-25, Prison estate capacity, recommendations 3b and 6, 21 July 2025
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7 Jul 2025 From committee Letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice relating to the follow up on responses to the Committee's reports on Crown Court backlogs and Prison estate capacity, 30 June 2025
Parliament page
31 Mar 2025 From committee Letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice relating to HMP Dartmoor, 24 March 2025
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