15th Report - Prison estate capacity
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 366
14 March 2025
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fifteenth report from Session 2024-25 · published 16 May 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
15
Conclusion
Rejected
HMPPS unable to meet 2027 fire-safety compliance deadline for 23,000 prison places
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
HMPPS faces £1.8 billion maintenance backlog with insufficient funding to address it
Conclusion
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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