Lord Keen of Elie corrected a written answer on Prison Accommodation
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester (Bishops, Bishops) asked written question HL4968 on 2 June 2020. Lord Keen of Elie answered on 16 June 2020 for the Ministry of Justice, and Lord Keen of Elie corrected the answer on 27 August 2020. The correction replaced 1 figure (27,845) with 3 figures (126, 212, 28,181). Altogether 13 words differ between the two versions.
The question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners are currently sharing a cell with one or more others, broken down by prison.
Original and corrected answer
Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.
| Original | Corrected |
|---|---|
| On arrival into custody, all prisoners’ suitability to share a cell is risk assessed. These assessments are based on numerous factors including index offence, health concerns and security information (such as beliefs and prejudices). Since March, we have introduced strong measures to avoid thousands of prisoners and staff becoming infected with COVID-19. This includes restrictions on movement between jails, the early release of low-risk offenders and the temporary expansion of the prison estate. These measures have helped to contain the spread of the virus and limit deaths. This action has helped to reduce the prison population, allowing establishments to implement ‘compartmentalisation’. We are installing over 1,000 temporary cells to increase space and help reduce the spread of the virus. These units are being placed where there are the highest number of shared cells, a lack of in-cell sanitation and where there are high numbers of vulnerable prisoners. We have also opened an Annex at HMP/YOI Rochester to hold up to 70 men. As at 29 May 2020, 35% of the prison population are sharing cells holding two or more people and this is broken down by establishment in the table below. The detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Prison | Total number of prisoners sharing cells | Proportion | Prison | Total number of prisoners sharing cells | Proportion Altcourse | 684 | 64% | Leicester | 219 | 68% Ashfield | 152 | 37% | Lewes | 176 | 33% Askham Grange | 0 | 0% | Leyhill | 0 | 0% Aylesbury | 0 | 0% | Lincoln | 422 | 71% Bedford | 242 | 68% | Lindholme | 336 | 36% Belmarsh | 476 | 58% | Littlehey | 134 | 12% Berwyn | 1,056 | 61% | Liverpool | 412 | 59% Birmingham | 582 | 64% | Long Lartin | 0 | 0% Brinsford | 290 | 53% | Low Newton | 12 | 4% Bristol | 217 | 45% | Lowdham Grange | 6 | 1% Brixton | 532 | 74% | Maidstone | 52 | 9% Bronzefield | 104 | 23% | Manchester | 284 | 39% Buckley Hall | 72 | 16% | Moorland | 258 | 29% Bullingdon | 737 | 69% | New Hall | 32 | 9% Bure | 10 | 2% | North Sea Camp | 164 | 41% Cardiff | 398 | 58% | Northumberland | 0 | 0% Channings Wood | 44 | 7% | Norwich | 250 | 36% Chelmsford | 302 | 45% | Nottingham | 402 | 48% Coldingley | 0 | 0% | Oakwood | 810 | 41% Cookham Wood | 0 | 0% | Onley | 154 | 22% Dartmoor | 0 | 0% | Parc | 736 | 46% Deerbolt | 14 | 4% | Pentonville | 668 | 72% Doncaster | 760 | 70% | Peterborough | 398 | 47% Dovegate | 224 | 19% | Peterborough Female | 74 | 27% Downview | 0 | 0% | Portland | 128 | 26% Drake Hall | 41 | 17% | Prescoed | 36 | 17% Durham | 744 | 82% | Preston | 441 | 69% East Sutton Park | 86 | 98% | Ranby | 322 | 33% Eastwood Park | 80 | 26% | Risley | 178 | 17% Elmley | 683 | 62% | Rochester | 218 | 35% Erlestoke | 64 | 13% | Rye Hill | 158 | 24% Exeter | 334 | 71% | Send | 0 | 0% Featherstone | 110 | 17% | | | Feltham | 130 | 44% | Stafford | 508 | 71% Ford | | | Standford Hill | 0 | 0% Forest Bank | 801 | 58% | Stocken | 240 | 23% Foston Hall | 142 | 46% | Stoke Heath | 302 | 42% Frankland | 0 | 0% | Styal | 235 | 62% Full Sutton | 0 | 0% | Sudbury | 232 | 50% Garth | 22 | 3% | Swaleside | 0 | 0% Gartree | 22 | 3% | Swansea | 254 | 71% Grendon | 0 | 0% | Swinfen Hall | 62 | 11% Guys Marsh | 98 | 23% | Thameside | 680 | 62% Hatfield | 16 | 5% | The Mount | 220 | 22% Haverigg | 0 | 0% | The Verne | 21 | 4% High Down | 633 | 56% | Thorn Cross | 36 | 11% Highpoint | 236 | 18% | Usk | 207 | 84% Hindley | 248 | 44% | Wakefield | 0 | 0% Hewell | 508 | 64% | Wandsworth | 1,120 | 77% Hollesley Bay | 44 | 10% | Warren Hill | 0 | 0% Holme House | 724 | 63% | Wayland | 286 | 30% Hull | 555 | 57% | Wealstun | 0 | 0% Humber | 260 | 27% | Werrington | 0 | 0% Huntercombe | 208 | 45% | Wetherby | 0 | 0% Isis | 246 | 42% | Whatton | 112 | 14% Isle Of Wight | 156 | 15% | Whitemoor | 0 | 0% Kirkham | 16 | 3% | Winchester | 238 | 50% Kirklevington Grange | 0 | 0% | Woodhill | 24 | 5% Lancaster Farms | 120 | 23% | Wormwood Scrubs | 601 | 56% Leeds | 746 | 75% | Wymott | 16 | 2% Grand total | | | | | 35% | On arrival into custody, all prisoners’ suitability to share a cell is risk assessed. These assessments are based on numerous factors including index offence, health concerns and security information (such as beliefs and prejudices). Since March, we have introduced strong measures to avoid thousands of prisoners and staff becoming infected with COVID-19. This includes restrictions on movement between jails, the early release of low-risk offenders and the temporary expansion of the prison estate. These measures have helped to contain the spread of the virus and limit deaths. This action has helped to reduce the prison population, allowing establishments to implement ‘compartmentalisation’. We are installing over 1,000 temporary cells to increase space and help reduce the spread of the virus. These units are being placed where there are the highest number of shared cells, a lack of in-cell sanitation and where there are high numbers of vulnerable prisoners. We have also opened an Annex at HMP/YOI Rochester to hold up to 70 men. As at 29 May 2020, 35% of the prison population are sharing cells holding two or more people and this is broken down by establishment in the table below. The detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Prison | Total number of prisoners sharing cells | Proportion | Prison | Total number of prisoners sharing cells | Proportion Altcourse | 684 | 64% | Leicester | 219 | 68% Ashfield | 152 | 37% | Lewes | 176 | 33% Askham Grange | 0 | 0% | Leyhill | 0 | 0% Aylesbury | 0 | 0% | Lincoln | 422 | 71% Bedford | 242 | 68% | Lindholme | 336 | 36% Belmarsh | 476 | 58% | Littlehey | 134 | 12% Berwyn | 1,056 | 61% | Liverpool | 412 | 59% Birmingham | 582 | 64% | Long Lartin | 0 | 0% Brinsford | 290 | 53% | Low Newton | 12 | 4% Bristol | 217 | 45% | Lowdham Grange | 6 | 1% Brixton | 532 | 74% | Maidstone | 52 | 9% Bronzefield | 104 | 23% | Manchester | 284 | 39% Buckley Hall | 72 | 16% | Moorland | 258 | 29% Bullingdon | 737 | 69% | New Hall | 32 | 9% Bure | 10 | 2% | North Sea Camp | 164 | 41% Cardiff | 398 | 58% | Northumberland | 0 | 0% Channings Wood | 44 | 7% | Norwich | 250 | 36% Chelmsford | 302 | 45% | Nottingham | 402 | 48% Coldingley | 0 | 0% | Oakwood | 810 | 41% Cookham Wood | 0 | 0% | Onley | 154 | 22% Dartmoor | 0 | 0% | Parc | 736 | 46% Deerbolt | 14 | 4% | Pentonville | 668 | 72% Doncaster | 760 | 70% | Peterborough | 398 | 47% Dovegate | 224 | 19% | Peterborough Female | 74 | 27% Downview | 0 | 0% | Portland | 128 | 26% Drake Hall | 41 | 17% | Prescoed | 36 | 17% Durham | 744 | 82% | Preston | 441 | 69% East Sutton Park | 86 | 98% | Ranby | 322 | 33% Eastwood Park | 80 | 26% | Risley | 178 | 17% Elmley | 683 | 62% | Rochester | 218 | 35% Erlestoke | 64 | 13% | Rye Hill | 158 | 24% Exeter | 334 | 71% | Send | 0 | 0% Featherstone | 110 | 17% | Springhill | 126 | 44% Feltham | 130 | 44% | Stafford | 508 | 71% Ford | 212 | 42% | Standford Hill | 0 | 0% Forest Bank | 801 | 58% | Stocken | 240 | 23% Foston Hall | 142 | 46% | Stoke Heath | 302 | 42% Frankland | 0 | 0% | Styal | 235 | 62% Full Sutton | 0 | 0% | Sudbury | 232 | 50% Garth | 22 | 3% | Swaleside | 0 | 0% Gartree | 22 | 3% | Swansea | 254 | 71% Grendon | 0 | 0% | Swinfen Hall | 62 | 11% Guys Marsh | 98 | 23% | Thameside | 680 | 62% Hatfield | 16 | 5% | The Mount | 220 | 22% Haverigg | 0 | 0% | The Verne | 21 | 4% High Down | 633 | 56% | Thorn Cross | 36 | 11% Highpoint | 236 | 18% | Usk | 207 | 84% Hindley | 248 | 44% | Wakefield | 0 | 0% Hewell | 508 | 64% | Wandsworth | 1,120 | 77% Hollesley Bay | 44 | 10% | Warren Hill | 0 | 0% Holme House | 724 | 63% | Wayland | 286 | 30% Hull | 555 | 57% | Wealstun | 0 | 0% Humber | 260 | 27% | Werrington | 0 | 0% Huntercombe | 208 | 45% | Wetherby | 0 | 0% Isis | 246 | 42% | Whatton | 112 | 14% Isle Of Wight | 156 | 15% | Whitemoor | 0 | 0% Kirkham | 16 | 3% | Winchester | 238 | 50% Kirklevington Grange | 0 | 0% | Woodhill | 24 | 5% Lancaster Farms | 120 | 23% | Wormwood Scrubs | 601 | 56% Leeds | 746 | 75% | Wymott | 16 | 2% Grand total | | | | 28,181 | 35% |
The question and answer on the Parliament website.
Related key figures
More on Lord Keen of Elie.
Receipt
| Read from | https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1199372?expandMember=true |
|---|---|
| Date read | 15 October 2026 |
| SHA-256 | b634fca483119284bf03711db57349435a90692f66ebd4ff4727f4515527936d |