Robert Buckland QC MP COVID-19 AND PRISONS: THE NEXT PHASE Strategy for responding to Covid-19 in prisons

Currently the incidence of infection is rising exponentially in the community which means the threat level to prisons is escalating and already high in many parts of the country. [...] Managing the response in the prison estate throughout winter As you will be aware, the Prime Minister recently announced a period of further restrictions in England, which commenced on 5th November, to slow the spread of Covid-19 in the community. [...] I would now like to address the policy decisions you have touched upon in your letter and provide an update on progress we have made: We are continuing to consider the use of the early release schemes to support our efforts to reduce Covid-19 impacts on prisoners. [...] The site provides details of every prison in England and Wales to ensure it has the most up to date information about the Covid restrictions in place nationally across the estate and importantly, the availability of and procedure for family or social visits at each prison: . [...] We are talking to the Parole Board and probation colleagues about the impact of the reduction in offending behaviour programme places and we are exploring alternative ways to address risk, including virtual delivery of programmes.