There are no current plans to implement key work in the open estate. Open prisons focus on the testing and reintegration of prisoners back into their communities with increased opportunities for temporary release (on licence) to undertake work, training and engage with services in their communities as well as their families and significant others.

The introduction of key worker activity will be undertaken by Band 3 Prison Officers. As all residential officers will be key workers, there are no ‘target numbers’. Each officer will be looking after a case load of around six individuals. They will meet regularly (on average 45 minutes per prisoner, per week) and provide supportive challenge to prisoners, to motivate them to use their time in custody to best effect.

The introduction of the key worker element of the model is being managed centrally, to allow for recruitment and training to be coordinated at a national level. Roll-out is under way with 72 prisons who have commenced delivery of key work and 18 being fully rolled out at the end of October 2018. The project to manage the implementation of the new model, both key work and case management, is now in its final phase (Implementation and evaluation). It is due to conclude in December 2019.

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes a breakdown of all population and capacity figures by prison at the end of every month which are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018 with the most recent available being for June 2018.

The following table identifies all open prisons in the adult male prison estate with their respective operational capacity, population and occupancy as at Friday 29 June 2018.

*Hewell Grange is an open unit within a larger closed adult male prison.

The table below identifies the two open prisons in the Female prison estate with their respective capacity, population and occupancy figures, also as at 29 June 2018.

Open conditions are an important means of testing and furthering the rehabilitation of offenders, especially those who have spent many years in closed conditions.

We keep the prison population and capacity under careful review to ensure that there is always sufficient capacity. Decisions on the future size of the prison estate will reflect the current and projected prison population, including an assessment of the necessary margin to manage population fluctuations.

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes a breakdown of all population and capacity figures by prison at the end of every month which are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2018 with the most recent available being for June 2018.

The following table identifies all open prisons in the adult male prison estate with their respective operational capacity, population and occupancy as at Friday 29 June 2018.

*Hewell Grange is an open unit within a larger closed adult male prison.

The table below identifies the two open prisons in the Female prison estate with their respective capacity, population and occupancy figures, also as at 29 June 2018.

Open conditions are an important means of testing and furthering the rehabilitation of offenders, especially those who have spent many years in closed conditions.

We keep the prison population and capacity under careful review to ensure that there is always sufficient capacity. Decisions on the future size of the prison estate will reflect the current and projected prison population, including an assessment of the necessary margin to manage population fluctuations.

On 31 March 2018 there were 5,092 prisoners recorded as being in open prisons. Three (0.06%) of those prisoners were recorded as having absconded between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2017, and 75 (1.47%) were recorded as having breached the conditions of their temporary release licence (including failure to return) between 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2017.

Data on escapes and absconds, prior to 1 April 2010 could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost due to changes in recording practice.

Statistics on prison population, absconds and temporary release failures are published at different frequencies, and therefore data for each are available for different time periods. In answering this question, we have provided the latest published information in each area

This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

If the Hon member writes with further details I will look into the case for him.

The government has committed to recruit a net increase of 2500 prison officers by December 2018. In addition to the recruitment activity to fill these 2500 new posts, there is ongoing recruitment activity to fill current vacancies, and vacancies which arise.

The number of staff employed in each open prison is provided in the table below.

HMPPS full time equivalent staff employed in open prisons, 2010-2017: