Prison Education

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 Nov 2020 Closed: 20 Oct 2022 Parliament page
The inquiry is examining how current arrangements support learners in custody and how well prison education delivers the skills needed by employers. The inquiry is considering education for adults, young people and children in custody. It will look at what barriers exist, for instance, to delivering apprenticeships in a custodial … Read more
34 Recommendations
4 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Oral sessions
2 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
27 Sep
2022
Report published
18 May
2022
Report published
18 Jan
2022
Oral evidence
18 Jan
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
14 Dec
2021
Oral evidence
14 Dec
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
2 Nov
2021
Oral evidence
2 Nov
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
21 Sep
2021
Oral evidence
21 Sep
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
8 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
8 Jun
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
18 Jan 2022
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Prison Education: Ministerial session
Alex Burghart MP · Department for Education Louise Wright · Department for Education Phil Copple · HMPPS Victoria Atkins · Ministry of Justice
14 Dec 2021
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Prison Education
Darren Burns · Timpson Sasha Simmonds · O’Neill & Brennan Ted Rosner · Redemption Roasters Tony Hughes · Williams Homes
2 Nov 2021
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Prison Education
Ben Leapman David Breakspear Femi Laryea-Adekimi Jonathan Gilbert Kiri Jolliffe
21 Sep 2021
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Prison Education - Ofsted panel; Prison Education - Educational providers
Andrea Greer · Weston College Matthew Coffey · Ofsted Paul Joyce · Ofsted Peter Cox · Novus Sally Alexander · Milton Keynes College Sophie Sterling · People Plus
8 Jun 2021
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Prison Education
Francesca Cooney, Prisoner Learning Alliance Michala Robertson, Open University Peter Dawson, Prison Reform Trust Stephen Johnson, Prison Governors Association
25 May 2021
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Prison Education
David Hughes · Association of Colleges Julian Smith · Bounce Back Lisa Capper MBE · NACRO Shereen Lawrence · St Giles Trust Simon Ashworth · Association of Employment and Learning Providers
20 Apr 2021
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Prison Education
Dame Sally Coates DBE Peter Stanford · Coates Review Rod Clark · Coates Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First report - Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoner… HC 56 18 May 2022 38 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
38 results
1 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The purpose of education and training in prisons should be to get prisoners onto the...
The purpose of education and training in prisons should be to get prisoners onto the ladder of opportunity. It must play a key role in improving the employability of prisoners and therefore in reducing reoffending. However, prison education must be … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and is already strengthening performance measures for governors, including new KPIs for education. They are reviewing job descriptions, training, and assessment requirements for governors to ensure a high standard of education in prisons.
Department for Education
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2 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Coates Review highlighted the need for prison education to be at the heart of...
The Coates Review highlighted the need for prison education to be at the heart of the prison system. Six years later, this aspiration has still not been realised. It is imperative that there is a renewed focus on embedding a … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and plans to introduce a range of staff training, including relevant content on the importance of education, skills and work for prisoner rehabilitation within the new prison officer apprenticeship programme.
Department for Education
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3 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The job description and key performance measures used when assessing Governors must be amended to...
The job description and key performance measures used when assessing Governors must be amended to require Governors to ensure that providing adequate prison education and a culture of learning is part of their core responsibilities, and something on which they … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation and is in the process of recruiting for the new senior role of Head of Education, Skills and Work who will have responsibility for overseeing prison and provider delivery of education, skills, and work.
Department for Education
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4 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
There must also be a clear signal in each prison that education is an operational...
There must also be a clear signal in each prison that education is an operational priority. We recommend that each prison has a Deputy Governor of Learning who is part of the Senior Management team, who is directly responsible for … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that governors already have the necessary freedom to set local pay rates and they do not propose to set additional rules on pay which governors must follow.
Department for Education
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5 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
Many prisoners have a negative view of education.
Many prisoners have a negative view of education. Incentives therefore have a part to play in encouraging prisoners to engage, or re-engage, with education. We recommend that the Ministry of Justice ensures that pay for education is equal to the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation in principle and intends to consult practitioners on the implications of any change to the current approach and consider how they can develop a culture of learning in prisons. However, they do not commit to equal pay for education or directly linking educational attendance or achievement to temporary release as a reward.
Department for Education
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6 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
A high proportion of prisoners have learning needs.
A high proportion of prisoners have learning needs. It is concerning that prisons have only had to screen for additional learning needs since 2019. This means that the majority of the prison population may never have gone through a screening … Read more
Government Response
The government will expand the use of CURIOUS to capture data on learning difficulties and disabilities, including in private prisons, and will capture assessment of prisoners identified as ESOL learners or bilingual.
Department for Education
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7 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The current screening process is not adequate to identify prisoners with additional learning needs.
The current screening process is not adequate to identify prisoners with additional learning needs. The Ministry of Justice must introduce a consistent assessment process for every prisoner when they enter the prison system. We believe there is a strong case … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation; systems to screen for learning needs are in place, but they are reviewing and exploring improvements via a review of LDD assessment and screening tools.
Department for Education
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8 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
There needs to be a whole prison approach to prisoners with learning difficulties.
There needs to be a whole prison approach to prisoners with learning difficulties. This is currently hampered by the lack of information sharing between the community and the prison estate regarding prisoners’ educational attainment in the community, and any learning … Read more
Government Response
The government states that new or amended legislation is not necessary and that data sharing is already permitted; they will invest in the digital and data platform needed to develop personal learning plans and existing data sharing powers are available.
Department for Education
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9 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
Support for prisoners with learning difficulties is long over-due.
Support for prisoners with learning difficulties is long over-due. We welcome the Government’s recent commitment in its Prisons Strategy White Paper to provide dedicated specialist support staff, but the Government must ensure that there is adequate resourcing for this. The … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation in principle and is recruiting new support managers for prisoners with additional learning needs, working towards recruiting 61 in the first year and a further 61 in the second year, resulting in one support manager in every prison by 2024. These roles are not identical to SENCOs, who specifically focus on education needs.
Department for Education
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10 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
Developing individual learning plans with prisoners helps to secure their commitment to, and ownership of,...
Developing individual learning plans with prisoners helps to secure their commitment to, and ownership of, their own education, and provides a focus on individual learning. It helps to make prisoners aware of the options available to them in terms of … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts in principle and is exploring the best long-term arrangements for a future Careers Information, Advice and Guidance Service, which may not take the precise form of the National Careers Service. They are also developing Personal Learning Plans, and will introduce resettlement passports to bring together key information and services needed to resettle into society.
Department for Education
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11 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
We recommend that all prisoners have a personalised Individual Learning Plan linked to their sentence...
We recommend that all prisoners have a personalised Individual Learning Plan linked to their sentence plan, created at the start of their time in prison. This should include the SEND assessment undertaken at their entry into the prison system. The … Read more
Government Response
The government is developing Personal Learning Plans in line with the recommendations. The new digital system being designed will record initial assessments and record a learning plan to be followed throughout the sentence and will also introduce resettlement passports.
Department for Education
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12 Conclusion Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Prisoners are often transferred with short notice across the prison estate.
Prisoners are often transferred with short notice across the prison estate. The loss or delay in the transfer of their educational records can have serious repercussions on their ability to continue their studies, and can in some cases cause prisoners … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts both recommendations and states that they are developing Personal Learning Plans and will also introduce resettlement passports, which will be set up prior to release and will bring together the key information and services that an individual needs to resettle into society.
Department for Education
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13 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Ministry of Justice must introduce a digital education passport, which contains a record of...
The Ministry of Justice must introduce a digital education passport, which contains a record of a prisoner’s learning, and any identified educational needs, that follows prisoners through their sentence and across the prison estate, and which can be shown to … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They state that governors are now responsible for setting the curriculum, and, through the introduction of the Dynamic Purchasing System, they can purchase bespoke local provision and have local plans in place with providers. They are also introducing Heads of Education, Skills and Work to support Governors to deliver improvements in education with their providers.
Department for Education
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14 Recommendation Acknowledged
First report - Not just another b…
The quality of prison education is of huge concern and has been deemed “inadequate”.
The quality of prison education is of huge concern and has been deemed “inadequate”. The vision of Governor autonomy, as set out by the Coates Review, has not been realised by the new contracts and we are disappointed that the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need for a review of the prison education framework in principle, but it would not be feasible to complete this within the timescales provided; they are reviewing the contract management system and structure for the Prison Education Framework.
Department for Education
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15 Recommendation Acknowledged
First report - Not just another b…
We have concerns about whether the Prison Education Framework contracts are able to deliver the...
We have concerns about whether the Prison Education Framework contracts are able to deliver the improvement in prison education that is desperately needed. The Government must carry out a wholesale review of the current prison education framework by the end … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation in principle and states that they want governors to be more involved in performance discussions with education providers, and specialist trained staff will support them in managing the prison education contracts.
Department for Education
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16 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
We also recommend that all prison Governors are given the appropriate training by the Ministry...
We also recommend that all prison Governors are given the appropriate training by the Ministry of Justice to acquire the skills to manage the contracts with their education providers more effectively. (Paragraph 72) 44 Not just another brick in the … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that extending DPS contracts beyond two years would limit Governor flexibility and undermine the aim of widening education provision.
Department for Education
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17 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was meant to allow Governors to contract bespoke training, including...
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was meant to allow Governors to contract bespoke training, including with voluntary organisations, for their prisons. However, the current length of contracts is making it difficult for smaller organisations to bid. The length of DPS … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects this recommendation, stating that the overall responsibility for the quality and effectiveness of education sits with the governor. Inspections already include an assessment of how well the curriculum promotes personal development that includes engagement with civil society.
Department for Education
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18 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
It is key that civil society is allowed to engage with prisons.
It is key that civil society is allowed to engage with prisons. To ensure that prisons fulfil this aim, a criteria must be added to the evaluation framework of Ofsted inspections to ensure that they examine how prisons engage with civil society.
Government Response
The government accepts the need for KPIs to measure education and training, and HMPPS has introduced new KPIs, and Ofsted will have access to this data. However, they do not commit to specifically adding a criteria to the evaluation framework of Ofsted inspections to ensure that they examine how prisons engage with civil society.
Department for Education
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19 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
The current prison inspection regime does not give enough weight to the quality of education.
The current prison inspection regime does not give enough weight to the quality of education. The award of a single grade to the establishment makes it difficult to see the origin of the failure, therefore making it difficult to act … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects this recommendation, stating that education is an important function but not the sole function of prisons, and a prison’s overall performance needs to be considered in the round.
Department for Education
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20 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
We recommend that prisons have clear and meaningful KPIs related to education, training and employment...
We recommend that prisons have clear and meaningful KPIs related to education, training and employment which are monitored by Ofsted. The Ministry of Justice must also reform the inspection regime so that Ofsted is able to give a grade for … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and states that the introduction of KPIs for governors will ensure they are incentivised to ensure more prisoners make progress and achieve qualifications, and that new contract service levels aim to incentivise providers and prisons to collaborate on learner allocation to courses.
Department for Education
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21 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
When considering moving prisoners, the position of where they are in a course or qualification...
When considering moving prisoners, the position of where they are in a course or qualification should be considered. The ability of whether they would be able to continue their qualification where they are moved to, should also be a factor.
Government Response
The government rejects this recommendation and states that they are working to ensure prisons have the digital infrastructure they need to provide prisoners with a strategic, managed in-cell laptop service. Rolling this equipment out across the whole prison service is subject to continued and long-term resourcing so at present they cannot set a timetable for deployment across the whole estate.
Department for Education
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22 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The lack of controlled and secure access to proper online education is a significant barrier...
The lack of controlled and secure access to proper online education is a significant barrier to learning. It is stifling opportunity for improvement through education and leaving prisoners unprepared for the real world, lacking the digital skills they need for … Read more
Government Response
The government teaches basic digital skills in all prisons, has introduced laptops in accelerator prisons, and is working to provide prisoners with a managed in-cell laptop service in 15 prisons by the end of September 2022, subject to continued resourcing.
Department for Education
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23 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
We have serious concerns around allowing prisoners free and un-fettered access to the internet.
We have serious concerns around allowing prisoners free and un-fettered access to the internet. However, we have been assured that security concerns can be overcome as technology exists which allows access to be restricted to approved content which can be … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation in principle and will assess the condition of prison buildings, including education and workshop facilities, over the next 12-18 months.
Department for Education
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24 Conclusion Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
Prison Education is in a perilous state due to a continual decline in funding.
Prison Education is in a perilous state due to a continual decline in funding. The Government has not increased funding for prison education for the last five years. The current prison regime contains many barriers to the successful delivery of … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that the Prisons Strategy White Paper sets out their 10-year vision to deliver a transformed Prisoner Education Service with a focus on giving prisoners the skills and opportunities to secure a job on release, with an injection of £550m over the next three years.
Department for Education
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25 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The Ministry of Justice must, by the end of this year, set out a clear...
The Ministry of Justice must, by the end of this year, set out a clear budget for prisons for the next 10 years, which sets out a long-term strategy for prison education, and a minimum expected spend on prison education. … Read more
Government Response
The government is developing annual curriculum guidance to support governors in identifying the best curriculum for their prison population, and will focus on guiding prison course choices to get the most out of education provision.
Department for Education
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26 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The current provision of prison education is too narrow, and is not allowing prisoners to...
The current provision of prison education is too narrow, and is not allowing prisoners to achieve their full potential. Prisoners must be able to access a varied and diverse curriculum. Whilst aiming to meet the basic needs of prisoners with … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation and states that most courses on offer are already unit or module-based to allow ease of transfer.
Department for Education
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27 Recommendation Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
We recognise the reality of prison life and that prisoners may be transferred, often at...
We recognise the reality of prison life and that prisoners may be transferred, often at short notice. The Ministry of Justice must look at the ways that this can cause as little harm to their education as possible. We have … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to introduce modular courses, stating they want to prioritise initiatives that will make the greatest difference to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending - in particular, apprenticeships and skills bootcamps.
Department for Education
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28 Recommendation Acknowledged
First report - Not just another b…
Reoffending is lower in prisoners who participate in higher education.
Reoffending is lower in prisoners who participate in higher education. The Government must remove the “six-year rule” so that prisoners on long sentences can apply for higher education courses earlier in their sentence. This would give them motivation during their … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation and states that there are already good examples of partnerships between education and training providers and prisons and it will continue to build further relationships through our Employability Innovation Fund.
Department for Education
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29 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Our Report makes it clear that education should be at the heart of the prison...
Our Report makes it clear that education should be at the heart of the prison regime. The Government must look at innovative ways to make this a reality. We recommend that the Government establish a pilot scheme establishing specialised prisons … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They are changing the legislation to enable apprenticeships for prisoners and will establish an Employability Innovation Fund for sector-specific skills training and work experience. They are also engaging with providers to broaden the curriculum and vocational qualifications.
Department for Education
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30 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Employment has been shown to reduce reoffending.
Employment has been shown to reduce reoffending. Getting prisoners into employment therefore makes economic sense for society, easing the current burden on prisons, and allowing former prisoners to re-enter society. The low number of prisoners finding long-term employment following their … Read more
Government Response
By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have an employment hub in place, providing prisoners with information about job opportunities and support with applications.
Department for Education
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31 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The prison estate has a role in supporting prisoners in finding employment.
The prison estate has a role in supporting prisoners in finding employment. We welcome the employment hubs that are currently operational, such as that in HMP Thorn Cross, but believe that the scheme must be extended. The Government must, by … Read more
Government Response
By April 2023, all resettlement prisons will have a Prison Employment Lead and Employment Advisory Board in place to link prisons and employers.
Department for Education
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32 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
No-one understands the skills market better than employers.
No-one understands the skills market better than employers. Local partnership with employers is key to identifying and providing the necessary skills for the job market. During our inquiry, we heard of some fantastic partnerships between prisons and businesses. However, these … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation in principle but states that auditing the size of individual employers would be administratively challenging and that NFN is only one source of employment, but will explore ways to better demonstrate the work and impact of NFN.
Department for Education
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33 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
The New Futures Network was established by the Ministry of Justice to build partnerships with...
The New Futures Network was established by the Ministry of Justice to build partnerships with employers and prisons. However, there is no published data as to what success it is having. The Ministry of Justice must publish annual data showing … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and will work to maximise workplace ROTL in the open and female estate, requiring development of a strategy for reshaping the regime, primarily in open prisons.
Department for Education
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34 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
Release on Temporary Licence allows relationships to develop between prisoners and employers and allows prisoners...
Release on Temporary Licence allows relationships to develop between prisoners and employers and allows prisoners to require vital employment skills. The Government must ensure that greater use is made of Release on Temporary Licence for work placements, thus enabling prisoners … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation. They will change the legislation to enable apprenticeships for prisoners to start in the autumn.
Department for Education
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35 Conclusion Rejected
First report - Not just another b…
Our inquiry has shone a light on the benefits of prisoners being able to take...
Our inquiry has shone a light on the benefits of prisoners being able to take apprenticeships. We are pleased that the Government has listened to the weight of evidence submitted to us on this issue, and will amend current Government … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation but plans to change the law later this year to enable serving prisoners to start apprenticeships and will continue to explore what more can be done to incentivise and reduce barriers to employers taking on prisoner and prison leavers.
Department for Education
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36 Recommendation Accepted
First report - Not just another b…
In any future review of the Apprenticeship Levy, the Government must change the rules to...
In any future review of the Apprenticeship Levy, the Government must change the rules to allow businesses to direct it towards prisoner rehabilitation schemes. (Paragraph 151) Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb … Read more
Government Response
MoJ is setting up Employment Boards and an Employability Innovation Fund that will explore incentives for businesses to recruit prisoners, including tailoring training or setting up workshops within prisons, and will keep this area under review.
Department for Education
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37 Recommendation Acknowledged
First report - Not just another b…
Businesses may have some reservations about employing former prisoners, which the Government must work to...
Businesses may have some reservations about employing former prisoners, which the Government must work to overcome. The Government must introduce incentives to encourage businesses to employ former prisoners, such as national insurance holidays for the first year of employing former … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation in principle and are developing personal learning plans for prisoners and developing measures of progress; they are considering their monitoring and evaluation strategy for planned initiatives such as the Employability Innovation Fund and will explore the potential for longitudinal research as part of this.
Department for Education
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38 Conclusion Accepted in Part
First report - Not just another b…
There is a lack of data about the impact of education and training in prisons.
There is a lack of data about the impact of education and training in prisons. It is important that there is in-depth analysis on what kind of programmes are most effective, and on longer-term outcomes. The Ministry of Justice must … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts this recommendation in principle and is developing personal learning plans for prisoners and measures of progress; they will explore the potential for longitudinal research as part of monitoring and evaluation strategy.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 38 of 34 classified
Accepted 19
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 4
Rejected 8
Total 34 recs + 4 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
19 May 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, requesting prison education data for those in the adult estate, dated 18 May 2021
Parliament page
29 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, requesting youth custody and educational data, dated 29 April 2021
Parliament page