Prison fire safety

The Governor of HMP Berwyn

The Governor should ensure that: cell conditions are properly checked and documented;

Springhill (2024)

HMP Springhill, a Category D open prison, typically held over 300 men with an operational capacity of 3351. The reporting year saw low levels of self-harm and violence, but persistent infrastructure failures, understaffing in education and OMU, and disjointed resettlement activities posed significant challenges. While 41 new single cells were a positive addition, the influx of men following early release schemes strained mental health services and limited access to external work.

PRISON Key concerns

Styal (2021)

HMP/YOI Styal effectively managed the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining a safe and humane environment despite significant regime restrictions. While primary healthcare was good, mental health needs were not fully supported, and purposeful activity was severely curtailed due to lockdowns. Key concerns include fire safety risks in unrefurbished houses, ongoing maintenance failings, and the need for more resources to tackle drug ingress and support prisoners with complex mental health issues.

PRISON Key concerns

Grendon (2021)

HMP Grendon demonstrated a safe environment in 2021 with improvements across several safety indicators including self-harm, assaults, and ACCTs, despite ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and fire safety works. The Board commended improvements in diversity and inclusion, healthcare access, and vaccine rollout. However, significant concerns remain regarding the persistent issues with the night sanitation system, the loss of community ethos, and the impact of fire safety project delays on therapeutic capacity. The lack of in-cell telephony and data on cell bell response times also pose ongoing challenges.

PRISON Key concerns

Styal (2025)

HMP/YOI Styal, a local women's prison, grapples with a complex population, leading to concerns about high self-harm rates and an increased number of deaths in custody. The Board highlights persistent issues with estate maintenance, fire safety, and a lack of consistent staff supervision on houses, which impacts prisoner safety and regime delivery. Despite improvements in healthcare and education attendance, significant delays in mental health transfers and pressure on resettlement accommodation remain critical challenges.

PRISON Key concerns

Brinsford (2025)

HMP/YOI Brinsford, a YOI and Category C resettlement prison, held an average of 545 prisoners during the reporting year. While the environment is generally considered safe and healthcare provision good, the Board has significant concerns regarding the persistent delays in mental health transfers, the poor condition of the estate, and inadequate education and purposeful activity. Key worker compliance is low due to staffing issues, and violence between prisoners increased to 528 incidents.

PRISON Key concerns

Buckley Hall (2024)

HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C training prison, has seen improvements in healthcare provision and staff-prisoner relationships. However, the report highlights significant concerns including persistent security weaknesses, frequent regime disruptions due to staff shortages, and the deteriorating state of the prison’s infrastructure. The Board is particularly worried about the high levels of self-harm, inadequate support for IPP prisoners, and the restrictive nature of social video calls.

PRISON Key concerns

Heathrow Immigration Removal Centre (2020)

Fire drills should be reinstated

Governor / Director

Norwich (2022)

What resources are being allocated to replace these fittings to reduce the risk to life of fire?

HMPPS

Gartree (2023)

Can the Governor give full assurance that all residential wings and other functional areas of the prison are fully compliant with the requirements for fire drills to be held and tested and that all staff and prisoners are aware of what to do in the event of a fire alarm sounding?

Governor / Director

Thorn Cross (2021)

The prison is failing in its duty to provide a decent fire retardant seating, as referenced in our last report. An alternative seating needs to be found.

HMPPS

Grendon (2021)

Further delays to the delivery of the fire safety project will reduce the prison’s capacity to deliver the very best outcomes for residents and its therapeutic work (see 5.1.1 and 7.1.5).

HMPPS

Thorn Cross (2022)

To provide decent fire retardant seating consistent with the ethos of the open estate (5.1.2).

HMPPS

Eastwood Park (2022)

Following the closure of residential unit 7’s first floor due to fire safety concerns, what is the future for this building and will alternative accommodation / facilities for women suitable for open conditions be provided?

Governor / Director

East Sutton Park (2022)

To review the fire contingency plan, as the Board considers that the new system needs to be carefully monitored as to its effectiveness at reaching all areas of the prison in a prompt manner.

Governor / Director

Gartree (2024)

In last year’s report, the Board raised some issues about fire safety: there was no assurance that everyone knew either what a ‘general’ fire alarm sounded like or what should happen if one was heard. There have been some drills carried out in the past year and this is encouraging. Will the Board be allowed access to the report of …

HMPPS

Elmley (2024)

Prisoners - and staff - are at substantial risk of serious harm due to the fire safety issues on house block 5. The Minister must take urgent action to address this very worrying problem and preclude its use as a residential house block until the risk is effectively mitigated.

Ministry of Justice

Swansea (2025)

Given that feasibility studies have now been completed, what funding will be available in 2025-2026 for the long-overdue upgrade of the fire alarm system, and when will work start?

HMPPS

Thorn Cross (2020)

The fire alarm system does not meet current standards. The residential units have now had adaptations to an external door, which can be opened by the prisoners in an emergency, allowing their exit. The installation of a new system, including smoke alarms in each room, has been dragging on for some time; however, although planning meetings and site surveys are …

HMPPS

Styal (2021)

There is a significant fire risk to prisoners who reside in the 16 houses which have not yet been refurbished at Styal. A recent survey has classed all of these buildings as red fire risk. These risks include the existence of false ceilings, and ceilings made of lath and plaster, which would require expensive and specialist repair to be brought …

Ministry of Justice

Hindley (2021)

The ongoing problem with litter outside F wing and behind window grilles across the prison is not only an eyesore but also a health, safety, and security risk. The Board urges the Governor to ensure that further action is taken to resolve this matter.

Governor / Director

Ford (2021)

It is a pity that after many years of submissions by the senior management and criticism in our last 13 annual reports, your predecessors appeared to have no plan in place for the replacement of the wooden billets on B wing when they were finally condemned following a fire inspection in November 2020. This failure to plan ahead meant that …

Ministry of Justice

Grendon (2022)

Improvements to the delivery schedule of the ongoing fire and safety project, as well as improved handovers of completed wings, are necessary in order to reduce disruption and return the prison to capacity (5.1).

HMPPS

Heathrow immigration removal centre (2023)

The contractor should make every effort to reduce smoking in the units, as this could lead to fires. People in detention should be challenged about smoking inside the wings.

Governor / Director

South and East 2023-24 Short Term Holding Facilities (STHF) (2024)

As noted in 5.1 the Board recommends that the capacity at Luton Airport STHF is reviewed urgently, due to the potential impact on the safety of detained persons and staff in the event of a fire. The facility regularly has luggage over-spilling from the kitchen and the number of residents in a day has been as high as 31, on …

Home Office

Stoke Heath (2025)

The Board recommends that the Prison Service provides the funding required to make accommodation and service areas, such as the kitchen and boilers, decent and safe, as refurbishment has been postponed year after year.

HMPPS

Lincoln (2020)

The Board continues to question when we can expect the ceiling of the CSU to be replaced as previously advised (see paragraph 6.7), or is it no longer considered to be required?

HMPPS

Manchester (2021)

The Board welcomed the response by the Minister to their report last year and was pleased to learn that the bid for funding to install secure windows at HMP Manchester had been successful. The Board notes however that this priority work at the time of writing this report has not commenced and would therefore ask the Minister when this will …

Other

Springhill (2022)

The Board again emphasises the need for appropriate investment as opposed to short-term funding to patch the generally decaying infrastructure of the whole site.

Other

Lincoln (2022)

As in previous years, the Board remains concerned about the tardy manner in which numerous repair and maintenance jobs across the establishment are dealt with (see paragraph 5.1.5).

HMPPS

Hollesley Bay (2022)

Requests that the outstanding repair and maintenance issues being faced daily by most prisons in the UK are addressed.

HMPPS

Hollesley Bay (2022)

Requests that the outstanding repair and maintenance issues being faced daily by most prisons in the UK are addressed.

HMPPS

Leyhill (2023)

Will the prison service install a general alarm system fitted to each room?

HMPPS

Lewes (2023)

Will the prison service ensure that maintenance and repairs are carried out in a timely manner and that sufficient funding is available locally to do this?

HMPPS

Lewes (2023)

Given the age of most of the prison wings, will the Minister ensure that there is sufficient funding available to make proper repairs to the infrastructure?

Ministry of Justice

Wormwood Scrubs (2024)

What further support will the Minister provide to rectify issues with the antiquated buildings and infrastructure to improve living conditions and safety in the prison?

Other

Wandsworth (2024)

Men have endured another year of inadequate shower facilities coupled with numerous boiler failures resulting in periods of no hot water or heating. When will the old and inadequate heating and water systems be replaced with modern, efficient equipment?

HMPPS

Grendon (2024)

There are still issues with the building infrastructure and associated poor sanitation arrangements in the non-refurbished wings, along with continued rat infestation and the over-heating that is experienced by staff and prisoners during the year. What longer-term plans does the Governor have to address these issues?

Governor / Director

Wandsworth (2025)

The basic conditions for prisoners at Wandsworth remain inadequate, both in terms of the infrastructure of the buildings (showers not operative, inconsistent heating, damaged cells, etc.) and the provision of kit (including clothing and bedding). What support will be provided to the prison to help rectify this?

Ministry of Justice

Onley (2025)

The windows and window frames across the establishment are in a poor condition and an entry point for drone packages and rats. The Minister should arrange for these windows to be replaced, as they are no longer fit for purpose, are an easy target for drone drops and endanger the ongoing security and stability of the establishment.

Ministry of Justice

Wormwood Scrubs (2020)

Will the minister ensure that sufficient funds continue to be available to the prison for the continuation and enhancement of measures taken to increase the safety of prisoners?

Ministry of Justice

Swaleside (2020)

The state of Swaleside showers has been mentioned in several previous reports. There has been some progress in this area but still some wings have shower areas that are way below standard and have not been improved at all. The overall level of cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired with litter around the outside of many wings and the …

Ministry of Justice

Risley (2020)

The showering facilities have been proving problematic over the last 12–18 months, with issues around the sufficient provision of hot water and bad water pressure, as well as showing a definite need for maintenance, decoration and refurbishment. What is the prison’s intention with regard to rectifying these issues?

Governor / Director

Gartree (2020)

Does the Prison Service consider that Gartree has a sufficient ongoing maintenance budget and capital funding in order both that prisoners can live, and staff can work within a safe, secure and decent environment?

HMPPS

Wandsworth (2021)

The fabric of the prisoner accommodation continued to be unacceptable with broken windows, mould, leaking plumbing, leaking rooves, frequent heating failures, pigeon faeces, rodents and other issues. This is neither decent nor acceptable. What plans does the Prison Service have to address the wholly unacceptable state of the residential facilities?

HMPPS

Hollesley Bay (2021)

That further capital investment is made into the open prison estate to allow the buildings and facilities to be improved and the backlog of maintenance requirements to be tackled in a programmed way – failing heating systems, leaking roofs, inadequate catering facilities, etc, as well as funding additional security measures, enhanced CCTV and improved security lighting.

HMPPS

Featherstone (2021)

Featherstone was built in the 1970s and despite some improvements this shows in much of the accommodation, with showers, windows and heating which are not up to contemporary standards. We understand that the Ministry is aware of this, but consideration of improving the physical environment should urgently be made.

Ministry of Justice

Onley (2022)

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) should advise when essential work on the poor state of windows in the older parts of the prison will be carried out, as it has a detrimental effect on decency standards and needs addressing as a priority.

HMPPS

Norwich (2022)

Are there plans for refurbishment of the outdated buildings e.g. the healthcare unit, L wing, E wing and the segregation unit, alongside the planned refurbishment of a previously closed wing and the installation of a new M wing?

HMPPS

Long Lartin (2022)

Will the Governor give more priority to repairs and improvements to the security systems?

Governor / Director

Kirkham (2022)

Improvements need to be made around adding ventilation in the bathrooms to reduce condensation. The showers that have not yet been refurbished need to also take priority. There are still recurring problems with the heating and hot water supplies to some billets.

Governor / Director

Holme House (2022)

We would like the Governor to continue to get repairs and maintenance improved.

Governor / Director

Holme House (2022)

Repairs and maintenance are slow and therefore the backlog increases. Cell and house block repairs, floors, kitchen equipment and other areas of disrepair are not carried out effectively and this has caused a number of problems.

HMPPS

Highpoint (2022)

The netting that blew down in a storm over two years ago at HMP Highpoint, and which has still not been mended or replaced, remains a security and safety issue. This prison is vulnerable to throwovers, and the increased opportunity for contraband to get into the prison has a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of the prisoners.

HMPPS

Buckley Hall (2022)

Provide the funding to install CCTV in the healthcare building.

HMPPS

Winchester (2023)

When will the finance be approved for the modernised CCTV system and when will the necessary cameras, connectivity and software be installed?

HMPPS

Portland (2023)

Funding for relief of heat issues for Beaufort wing

HMPPS

— LP O

HMP Brixton should review the availability of a locksmith in the evenings and at weekends.

HMPPS

Independent Investigation into Concerns about Brook House Immigration Removal Centre — Rec R45

G4S and the Home Office must ensure that robust, full-length electronic turnstiles are installed at the entrance to the residential wings as soon as possible. (To be completed within 3 months)

Immigration Detention

Assessment of government progress in implementing the report on the … — Rec 22

As set out in the NHSE, Home Offce and PH(E) National Partnership Agreement, all centres should become smoke-free as soon as possible, subject to proper planning and support for detainees and staff.

Immigration Detention