21,000 currently occupied prison places -almost one in four-
do not meet fire safety standards, MPs have been told.
In a letter sent in July but published today, Prisons Chief Phil Copple told
the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that despite an extensive remedial programme,
around 6,000 prison places may not meet the required standards by the end of
2027. This is the deadline agreed with Fire Safety Inspectors for all cells to
be fire safety compliant. The prison service has a red line commitment not
to use non-compliant cells after that date.
Until now. Copple also told MPs that “we continue to review
our plans to minimise the number of cells that will not be compliant by the
2027 deadline and review the correct procedures for managing non-compliant
cells after this date”. This sounds like
civil service speak for postponing the deadline.
In
another letter, Copple explained that 77 Ministry of Justice Projects were
delayed when construction firm ISG went into administration last year. Some of
these have involved fire
safety work in prisons. Given that replacement contractors do not seem to
have been found for all the ISG work, it’s quite possible that the 6,000 figure
may rise.
The
PAC is following up recent scrutiny with the MoJ so should definitely ask
whether the 2027 deadline has formally been revised and whether the Crown Premises
Fire Safety Inspectorate is content with the revision.
