Question
I thank the Minister for the groundbreaking work of her Department in tagging prisoners before release, but will she update the House on the work that this Government are doing to start fixing the failure of the Conservatives to build more prison places or invest in our crumbling prison estate?
Answer
My hon. Friend brings us back to the crux of the issue that this Government inherited. We are dealing with the consequences of a failure to invest in our prison capacity over many years—there was a net gain of just 500 prison places when the Conservatives left Government. We are working at pace to deliver 14,000 prison places, and we aim to do so by 2031. We have already delivered 3,300 places, and I look forward to being at the groundbreaking and opening of many more.29% point-scoring 14% vibes
Verdict: GREEN (84/100)
The question asked what the Government is doing to increase prison places, and the reply answers it directly. It sets out a concrete programme to deliver 14,000 new places by 2031, of which 3,300 have already been delivered. It also gives some background on the capacity shortfall it inherited, which adds context without replacing the main answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister update the House on what the Government is doing to increase prison places and invest in the prison estate? | Addressed | Direct | The reply names a concrete programme: delivering 14,000 new prison places by 2031, with 3,300 already delivered, which directly answers what the Government is doing to increase places. The statements on the inherited capacity shortfall (2, 3) add context on the investment history without replacing the substantive answer. |