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Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 6 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 8 July 2026. It was answered by Jake Richards (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Prisoners: Education and Training

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of education and vocational training for prisoners.

Answer

The Government recognises that high-quality education and vocational training are central to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. Prisoners have access to a broad curriculum, including English, maths, digital skills, further and higher education, vocational training and employment-focused learning. Reading is a priority and every prison should now have a reading strategy in place. We are expanding vocational opportunities through prison industries, employer partnerships and apprenticeships to help prisoners develop the skills needed to secure sustainable employment on release.

Ofsted inspects education and training provision in prisons, and inspection outcomes have shown a recent improving trend. Improvements in reading were noted in a recent report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP). The Ministry of Justice is also undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of prison education, which will strengthen our understanding of what works and support evidence-based decisions on future improvements to education and skills provision across the prison estate.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15951
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Education Prisoners Training
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk