First report - Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb the ladder of opportunity
Select Committee
Education Committee
HC 56
18 May 2022
Recommendations
4 results
14
Acknowledged
Para 70
The quality of prison education is of huge concern and has been deemed “inadequate”.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
Acknowledged
Para 71
We have concerns about whether the Prison Education Framework contracts are able to deliver the...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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28
Acknowledged
Para 123
Reoffending is lower in prisoners who participate in higher education.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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37
Acknowledged
Para 154
Businesses may have some reservations about employing former prisoners, which the Government must work to...
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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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