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
View on parliament.uk
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
15 Conclusion Rejected
15th Report - Prison estate capaci…
HMPPS unable to meet 2027 fire-safety compliance deadline for 23,000 prison places
The NAO report highlighted several risks to existing prison capacity. This included that around a quarter (23,000) of occupied prison places are at risk of enforcement by the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate 38 Q 43 39 Qq 43,46 40 … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation and acknowledges the importance of addressing the prison estate maintenance backlog and remains committed to undertaking the necessary work to ensure compliance with fire safety standards.
HM Treasury
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16 Conclusion Rejected
15th Report - Prison estate capaci…
HMPPS faces £1.8 billion maintenance backlog with insufficient funding to address it
The condition of the estate also poses a risk to future capacity. Since the government’s 2010 prisons strategy, HMPPS has indefinitely closed 4,151 cells due to dilapidation.54 Furthermore, HMPPS’s maintenance backlog has doubled from £0.9 billion to £1.8 billion between … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the committee's conclusion and states that while HMPPS acknowledges the importance of addressing the prison estate maintenance backlog, future investment decisions will depend on the outcome of the ongoing Spending Review.
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
Parliament page
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
Parliament page