HM PRISON NORTHUMBERLAND

That this House is concerned by the recently published HM Inspectorate of Prisons report regarding HM Prison (HMP) Northumberland; notes that HMP Northumberland currently houses over 1,300 male inmates and is run by the private firm Sodexo; is deeply concerned by the report's findings regarding violence and drug use which detail a staggering increase in both since the last unannounced inspection in 2014; further notes that since the last inspection violence has more than doubled with 58 per cent of prisoners feeling unsafe since arriving at HMP Northumberland and 28 per cent of prisoners feeling unsafe at the time of the inspection; notes that since the last inspection there have been six self-inflicted deaths at the prison, yet few of the issues previously identified by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman have been addressed; is also concerned by the findings of the survey regarding drug use and availability of drugs within the prison with 61 per cent of men saying it was easy or very easy to obtain illicit drugs, and 21 per cent saying they had acquired a drug habit since entering the prison; is aware that the report found that prisoners' time out of cell is not good enough for a prison of this category and that attendance at educational and training classes have declined since the last report; and calls on the Government to urgently address the worsening situation across the prison estate and ensure inmates are housed safely in prisons which have sufficient staff numbers and proper access to education and drug treatment programmes.