Please see the attached table showing the number of incidents of assault on (a) prison officers and (b) other prison staff at HMP Hewell in each of the last five years, and accompanying notes.

The latest published workforce statistics for HM Prison & Probation Service cover the period up to 30 September 2025 and contain figures for the last five years for working days lost, average staff and average working days lost for each public sector prison and for different grades, but not by prison and grade combined. The published figures are for the 12 months to 31 March each year and latest figures are for the 12 months to 30 September 2025. These figures for HMP Hewell, split by band 3-5 prison officers and other prison staff, are given in the table below.

Working days lost to sickness absence, for HMP Hewell, by band 3-5 prison officers and other staff – for 12 months to 31 March 2021 to 2025 and for 12 months to 30 September 2025.

(Full Time Equivalent)

Notes

1. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (including specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.
2. Figures relating to the most recent 12 months are provisional, and may be subject to change in the future

A comparison between target staffing levels and staff in post can be found in the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691da96221ef5aaa6543ef83/annex-prison-and-probation-officer-recruitment-Sep-2025_final.ods.

Internal management information has long been used for workforce planning to monitor vacancies and other resource monitoring purposes. However, target staffing and parallel staff in post data has only been produced for the purpose of official statistics for the last few years. As a result, the full historic time series is not available in a consistent format for the grade breakdowns requested.

Turnover rates¹ at HMP Hewell for (i) band 3-5 officers² and (ii) all other prison staff, in the 12 months to 31 March 2021-2025 and in the 12 months to 30 September 2025

Notes:

1. Turnover rates include all reasons for leaving and include both permanent and temporary staff.
2. Band 3-5 officers include: Bands 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl. specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers

3. As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time and is dependent on staff completing the details correctly. The database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, or are incorrect then these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate and may not match local data.

Figures relating to the most recent 12 months are provisional, and may be subject to change in the future.

The latest published workforce statistics for HM Prison & Probation Service cover the period up to 30 September 2025 and contain figures for the last five years for working days lost, average staff and average working days lost for each public sector prison and for different grades, but not by prison and grade combined. The published figures are for the 12 months to 31 March each year and latest figures are for the 12 months to 30 September 2025. These figures for HMP Hewell, split by band 3-5 prison officers and other prison staff, are given in the table below.

Working days lost to sickness absence, for HMP Hewell, by band 3-5 prison officers and other staff – for 12 months to 31 March 2021 to 2025 and for 12 months to 30 September 2025.

(Full Time Equivalent)

Notes

1. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (including specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.
2. Figures relating to the most recent 12 months are provisional, and may be subject to change in the future

A comparison between target staffing levels and staff in post can be found in the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691da96221ef5aaa6543ef83/annex-prison-and-probation-officer-recruitment-Sep-2025_final.ods.

Internal management information has long been used for workforce planning to monitor vacancies and other resource monitoring purposes. However, target staffing and parallel staff in post data has only been produced for the purpose of official statistics for the last few years. As a result, the full historic time series is not available in a consistent format for the grade breakdowns requested.

Turnover rates¹ at HMP Hewell for (i) band 3-5 officers² and (ii) all other prison staff, in the 12 months to 31 March 2021-2025 and in the 12 months to 30 September 2025

Notes:

1. Turnover rates include all reasons for leaving and include both permanent and temporary staff.
2. Band 3-5 officers include: Bands 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl. specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers

3. As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time and is dependent on staff completing the details correctly. The database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, or are incorrect then these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate and may not match local data.

Figures relating to the most recent 12 months are provisional, and may be subject to change in the future.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman concluded that the care offered to Mr Slater at HMP Hewell was of a good standard, but raised concerns about the fact that he was restrained when he was taken to hospital for treatment. The Governor of HMP Hewell has accepted and acted upon the two recommendations in the report and implemented a process. This ensures that, in accordance with national policy, decisions about the use of restraints are informed by risk assessments that fully take into account the health of a prisoner and are based on the risk they present at the time.

Our thoughts remain with the family of Mr Slater.

A new Governor was appointed shortly before the inspectorate visit as part of performance improvement measures and the Chief Inspector acknowledged the positive impact since his appointment. The Governor is now producing an action plan in response to the inspection. Remedial actions and timescales are being identified to improve all areas of identified weakness. Action plan progress will be monitored by NOMS internal audit mechanism and the prison rating system.

The number of deaths at HMP Hewell are published annually in Table 3.18 of the National Statistics Safety in Custody series. These statistics currently cover the period up to 2012 and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics

I can report that a considerable amount of work has been undertaken at Hewell since the inspection by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in November 2012, including the development and introduction of a comprehensive improvement plan for the prison to be delivered over the next 3 years. Since the inspection, the prison has also moved to a new management structure. The Governor has confidence in this team’s ability to demonstrate effective leadership and people management skills, embed effective systems and processes and improve risk management through effective planning and empowering their staff.

Security continues to improve with the introduction of more responsive intelligence process and improved governance structures for security and operations. The Deputy Governor now personally overseas collaboration between the Security and Safety departments and a dedicated team of Prison Officers has been established to investigate every instance of violence. Searching of staff, prisoners and visitors has increased, there is greater disruption of prisoners who we believe to be challenging the good order of the prison, and there are an increasing number of referrals to the independent adjudicator, ensuring impartiality in the disciplinary process.

Safety is much improved, and work continues to identify and manage the risk of self-harm, and to ensure that staff actively challenge anti-social and bullying behaviour. As of Friday 14 June 2013 there are 29 men being supported on ACCT (suicide and self-harm prevention) documents, 17 on anti-social behavioural support plans (alleged victims) and 29 on tackling anti-social behaviour interventions plans (alleged perpetrators). This compares to 25 men being supported on ACCT documents and 3 on tackling anti-social behavioural support plans (alleged victims) and 17 on tackling anti-behaviour interventions plans (alleged perpetrators) at the time of the inspection, representing a significant improvement.

Decency is much improved, attracting praise from the prison’s Independent Monitoring Board. The cleanliness of both exercise yards and accommodation has improved and a cleaning plan is now in place and is being supported by additional training for staff and prisoners. Prisoners now have controlled access to all materials and items that they need to keep their environment clean and tidy and where they fail to meet expectations in this regard they are appropriately challenged through the Incentives & Earned Privileges Scheme.

The physical environment at the prison is also being improved. All cells now have shower screens in place and a shower refurbishment programme is ongoing. Showers at the open part of the prison have also been increased in number, to provide greater access for prisoners. Waiting rooms in the Healthcare Department are being refurbished and a refurbishment programme has commenced for dormitories at the open site. Prisoners held at the open site are no longer required to be admitted to custody through the closed prison, therefore making their experience more decent.