Lucy Frazer corrected a written answer on Prison Accommodation
Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat, Twickenham) asked written question 57390 on 9 June 2020. Lucy Frazer answered on 15 June 2020 for the Ministry of Justice, and Lucy Frazer corrected the answer on 28 August 2020. The same corrected answer was given to question 57392. The correction replaced 3 figures (27,845, 29,623, 31,855) with 9 figures (126, 160, 164, 212, 234, 252). Altogether 21 words differ between the two versions.
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of prisoners sharing cells in each prison in each of the last three months.
Original and corrected answer
Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.
| Original | Corrected |
|---|---|
| We are implementing our compartmentalisation strategy (isolating the symptomatic; quarantining new arrivals; and shielding the vulnerable) in the prison estate. The latest PHE modelling indicates this strategy has shown early signs of success. We are increasing headroom in the prison estate to better enable prisons to implement compartmentalisation and reduce the number of prisoners sharing cells. This has been actioned through a combination of the early release of low-risk offenders, provision of temporary accommodation and expediting remand hearings to reduce the unsentenced population. 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. Upon arrival into custody, all prisoners’ suitability to share a cell is risk assessed. These assessments are based on numerous factors including health concerns. The table below identifies the number of prisoners, broken down by establishment, sharing cells holding two or more people as at 27 March, 24 April and 29 May 2020. The detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system Total number of prisoners sharing cells Prison | Mar-20 | Apr-20 | May-20 Altcourse | 731 | 688 | 684 Ashfield | 150 | 150 | 152 Askham Grange | 67 | 68 | 0 Aylesbury | 0 | 0 | 0 Bedford | 268 | 250 | 242 Belmarsh | 426 | 467 | 476 Berwyn | 1,164 | 1,098 | 1,056 Birmingham | 587 | 479 | 582 Brinsford | 254 | 256 | 290 Bristol | 230 | 221 | 217 Brixton | 610 | 536 | 532 Bronzefield | 138 | 120 | 104 Buckley Hall | 88 | 80 | 72 Bullingdon | 750 | 699 | 737 Bure | 38 | 14 | 10 Cardiff | 420 | 408 | 398 Channings Wood | 94 | 62 | 44 Chelmsford | 350 | 322 | 302 Coldingley | 40 | 24 | 0 Cookham Wood | 0 | 0 | 0 Dartmoor | 0 | 0 | 0 Deerbolt | 14 | 16 | 14 Doncaster | 775 | 755 | 760 Dovegate | 226 | 218 | 224 Downview | 0 | 0 | 0 Drake Hall | 97 | 65 | 41 Durham | 754 | 850 | 744 East Sutton Park | 93 | 95 | 86 Eastwood Park | 111 | 93 | 80 Elmley | 686 | 703 | 683 Erlestoke | 86 | 78 | 64 Exeter | 320 | 352 | 334 Featherstone | 130 | 110 | 110 Feltham | 196 | 178 | 130 Ford | | | Forest Bank | 823 | 873 | 801 Foston Hall | 120 | 118 | 142 Frankland | 0 | 0 | 0 Full Sutton | 0 | 0 | 0 Garth | 28 | 22 | 22 Gartree | 22 | 24 | 22 Grendon | 0 | 0 | 0 Guys Marsh | 136 | 120 | 98 Hatfield | 98 | 58 | 16 Haverigg | 0 | 0 | 0 High Down | 686 | 668 | 633 Highpoint | 286 | 248 | 236 Hindley | 240 | 254 | 248 Hewell | 612 | 606 | 508 Hollesley Bay | 78 | 73 | 44 Holme House | 776 | 730 | 724 Hull | 594 | 608 | 555 Humber | 358 | 296 | 260 Huntercombe | 234 | 230 | 208 Isis | 312 | 290 | 246 Isle Of Wight | 150 | 156 | 156 Kirkham | 86 | 24 | 16 Kirklevington Grange | 0 | 0 | 0 Lancaster Farms | 126 | 66 | 120 Leeds | 793 | 654 | 746 Leicester | 243 | 231 | 219 Lewes | 304 | 274 | 176 Leyhill | 17 | 2 | 0 Lincoln | 492 | 476 | 422 Lindholme | 344 | 332 | 336 Littlehey | 222 | 184 | 134 Liverpool | 384 | 430 | 412 Long Lartin | 0 | 0 | 0 Low Newton | 50 | 18 | 12 Lowdham Grange | 4 | 2 | 6 Maidstone | 64 | 64 | 52 Manchester | 354 | 326 | 284 Moorland | 434 | 388 | 258 New Hall | 61 | 45 | 32 North Sea Camp | 259 | 252 | 164 Northumberland | 4 | 0 | 0 Norwich | 308 | 275 | 250 Nottingham | 420 | 428 | 402 Oakwood | 962 | 862 | 810 Onley | 154 | 162 | 154 Parc | 800 | 706 | 736 Pentonville | 814 | 634 | 668 Peterborough | 358 | 362 | 398 Peterborough Female | 116 | 100 | 74 Portland | 146 | 142 | 128 Prescoed | 78 | 78 | 36 Preston | 517 | 535 | 441 Ranby | 396 | 336 | 322 Risley | 216 | 198 | 178 Rochester | 322 | 274 | 218 Rye Hill | 172 | 160 | 158 Send | 14 | 0 | 0 | | | Stafford | 584 | 562 | 508 Standford Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 Stocken | 238 | 242 | 240 Stoke Heath | 322 | 318 | 302 Styal | 234 | 235 | 235 Sudbury | 372 | 298 | 232 Swaleside | 2 | 0 | 0 Swansea | 343 | 303 | 254 Swinfen Hall | 98 | 96 | 62 Thameside | 798 | 710 | 680 The Mount | 224 | 218 | 220 The Verne | 28 | 27 | 21 Thorn Cross | 84 | 58 | 36 Usk | 239 | 219 | 207 Wakefield | 0 | 0 | 0 Wandsworth | 1,176 | 1,146 | 1,120 Warren Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 Wayland | 344 | 304 | 286 Wealstun | 50 | 0 | 0 Werrington | 0 | 0 | 0 Wetherby | 0 | 0 | 0 Whatton | 190 | 136 | 112 Whitemoor | 0 | 0 | 0 Winchester | 236 | 222 | 238 Woodhill | 80 | 54 | 24 Wormwood Scrubs | 601 | 558 | 601 Wymott | 132 | 68 | 16 Total | | | | We are implementing our compartmentalisation strategy (isolating the symptomatic; quarantining new arrivals; and shielding the vulnerable) in the prison estate. The latest PHE modelling indicates this strategy has shown early signs of success. We are increasing headroom in the prison estate to better enable prisons to implement compartmentalisation and reduce the number of prisoners sharing cells. This has been actioned through a combination of the early release of low-risk offenders, provision of temporary accommodation and expediting remand hearings to reduce the unsentenced population. 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. Upon arrival into custody, all prisoners’ suitability to share a cell is risk assessed. These assessments are based on numerous factors including health concerns. The table below identifies the number of prisoners, broken down by establishment, sharing cells holding two or more people as at 27 March, 24 April and 29 May 2020. The detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system Total number of prisoners sharing cells Prison | Mar-20 | Apr-20 | May-20 Altcourse | 731 | 688 | 684 Ashfield | 150 | 150 | 152 Askham Grange | 67 | 68 | 0 Aylesbury | 0 | 0 | 0 Bedford | 268 | 250 | 242 Belmarsh | 426 | 467 | 476 Berwyn | 1,164 | 1,098 | 1,056 Birmingham | 587 | 479 | 582 Brinsford | 254 | 256 | 290 Bristol | 230 | 221 | 217 Brixton | 610 | 536 | 532 Bronzefield | 138 | 120 | 104 Buckley Hall | 88 | 80 | 72 Bullingdon | 750 | 699 | 737 Bure | 38 | 14 | 10 Cardiff | 420 | 408 | 398 Channings Wood | 94 | 62 | 44 Chelmsford | 350 | 322 | 302 Coldingley | 40 | 24 | 0 Cookham Wood | 0 | 0 | 0 Dartmoor | 0 | 0 | 0 Deerbolt | 14 | 16 | 14 Doncaster | 775 | 755 | 760 Dovegate | 226 | 218 | 224 Downview | 0 | 0 | 0 Drake Hall | 97 | 65 | 41 Durham | 754 | 850 | 744 East Sutton Park | 93 | 95 | 86 Eastwood Park | 111 | 93 | 80 Elmley | 686 | 703 | 683 Erlestoke | 86 | 78 | 64 Exeter | 320 | 352 | 334 Featherstone | 130 | 110 | 110 Feltham | 196 | 178 | 130 Ford | 252 | 234 | 212 Forest Bank | 823 | 873 | 801 Foston Hall | 120 | 118 | 142 Frankland | 0 | 0 | 0 Full Sutton | 0 | 0 | 0 Garth | 28 | 22 | 22 Gartree | 22 | 24 | 22 Grendon | 0 | 0 | 0 Guys Marsh | 136 | 120 | 98 Hatfield | 98 | 58 | 16 Haverigg | 0 | 0 | 0 High Down | 686 | 668 | 633 Highpoint | 286 | 248 | 236 Hindley | 240 | 254 | 248 Hewell | 612 | 606 | 508 Hollesley Bay | 78 | 73 | 44 Holme House | 776 | 730 | 724 Hull | 594 | 608 | 555 Humber | 358 | 296 | 260 Huntercombe | 234 | 230 | 208 Isis | 312 | 290 | 246 Isle Of Wight | 150 | 156 | 156 Kirkham | 86 | 24 | 16 Kirklevington Grange | 0 | 0 | 0 Lancaster Farms | 126 | 66 | 120 Leeds | 793 | 654 | 746 Leicester | 243 | 231 | 219 Lewes | 304 | 274 | 176 Leyhill | 17 | 2 | 0 Lincoln | 492 | 476 | 422 Lindholme | 344 | 332 | 336 Littlehey | 222 | 184 | 134 Liverpool | 384 | 430 | 412 Long Lartin | 0 | 0 | 0 Low Newton | 50 | 18 | 12 Lowdham Grange | 4 | 2 | 6 Maidstone | 64 | 64 | 52 Manchester | 354 | 326 | 284 Moorland | 434 | 388 | 258 New Hall | 61 | 45 | 32 North Sea Camp | 259 | 252 | 164 Northumberland | 4 | 0 | 0 Norwich | 308 | 275 | 250 Nottingham | 420 | 428 | 402 Oakwood | 962 | 862 | 810 Onley | 154 | 162 | 154 Parc | 800 | 706 | 736 Pentonville | 814 | 634 | 668 Peterborough | 358 | 362 | 398 Peterborough Female | 116 | 100 | 74 Portland | 146 | 142 | 128 Prescoed | 78 | 78 | 36 Preston | 517 | 535 | 441 Ranby | 396 | 336 | 322 Risley | 216 | 198 | 178 Rochester | 322 | 274 | 218 Rye Hill | 172 | 160 | 158 Send | 14 | 0 | 0 Springhill | 164 | 160 | 126 Stafford | 584 | 562 | 508 Standford Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 Stocken | 238 | 242 | 240 Stoke Heath | 322 | 318 | 302 Styal | 234 | 235 | 235 Sudbury | 372 | 298 | 232 Swaleside | 2 | 0 | 0 Swansea | 343 | 303 | 254 Swinfen Hall | 98 | 96 | 62 Thameside | 798 | 710 | 680 The Mount | 224 | 218 | 220 The Verne | 28 | 27 | 21 Thorn Cross | 84 | 58 | 36 Usk | 239 | 219 | 207 Wakefield | 0 | 0 | 0 Wandsworth | 1,176 | 1,146 | 1,120 Warren Hill | 0 | 0 | 0 Wayland | 344 | 304 | 286 Wealstun | 50 | 0 | 0 Werrington | 0 | 0 | 0 Wetherby | 0 | 0 | 0 Whatton | 190 | 136 | 112 Whitemoor | 0 | 0 | 0 Winchester | 236 | 222 | 238 Woodhill | 80 | 54 | 24 Wormwood Scrubs | 601 | 558 | 601 Wymott | 132 | 68 | 16 Total | 32,271 | 30,017 | 28,181 |
The question and answer on the Parliament website.
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Receipt
| Read from | https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1201984?expandMember=true |
|---|---|
| Date read | 15 October 2026 |
| SHA-256 | 344e3db6c351431c09c7eec21f002d05351a686ad5c4093ce89a7dc9b3b53d36 |