Following the collapse of ISG Construction Limited, the Ministry of Justice activated contingency plans for affected projects. We remain committed to continuing the prison build programmes and to continuing to invest in prison maintenance so that existing places remain in use and are safe.

Construction projects to deliver maintenance and additional prison places were planned for completion by ISG Construction Limited at the following prisons:

• HMP Birmingham

• HMP Brinsford

• HMP Bristol

• HMP Bullingdon

• HMP Cardiff

• HMP Coldingley

• HMP Dartmoor

• HMP Durham

• HMP Erlestoke

• HMP Featherstone

• HMP Ford

• HMP Fosse Way

• HMP Foston Hall

• HMP Guy’s Marsh

• HMP Hatfield

• HMP Hewell

• HMP Highpoint

• HMP Humber

• HMP Huntercombe

• HMP Kirkham

• HMP Kirklevington Grange

• HMP Lancaster Farms

• HMP Leeds

• HMP Lewes

• HMP Leyhill

• HMP Liverpool

• HMP Long Lartin

• HMP Maidstone

• HMP Manchester

• HMP North Sea Camp

• HMP Preston

• HMP Prescoed

• HMP Risley

• HMP Rochester

• HMP Send

• HMP Springhill

• HMP Standford Hill

• HMP Stoke Heath

• HMP Sudbury

• HMP Swaleside

• HMP The Verne

• HMP Usk

• HMP Warren Hill

• HMP Winchester

• HMP Wymott

• The planned new prison in Buckinghamshire

Replacement contractors have been appointed on projects previously supplied by ISG and ESS, in line with contingency plans, with pre-construction work either now complete or ongoing.

The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Leyhill has since been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes, but we continue to deliver c.100 Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) at this site. The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Springhill has also been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes. The RDCs at HMP Erlestoke and HMP The Verne that ISG were contracted to deliver are now complete.

As set out in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, published December 2024, the initial assessment indicates that ISG’s administration is expected to result in delays of between three to 18 months for the affected maintenance and prison expansion programmes timelines. We continue to work with new contractors to minimise delay and accelerate delivery wherever possible, and we remain on track in our aim to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031. We have already delivered c.3,100 new prison places since taking office.

Following the collapse of ISG Construction Limited, the Ministry of Justice activated contingency plans for affected projects. We remain committed to continuing the prison build programmes and to continuing to invest in prison maintenance so that existing places remain in use and are safe.

Construction projects to deliver maintenance and additional prison places were planned for completion by ISG Construction Limited at the following prisons:

• HMP Birmingham

• HMP Brinsford

• HMP Bristol

• HMP Bullingdon

• HMP Cardiff

• HMP Coldingley

• HMP Dartmoor

• HMP Durham

• HMP Erlestoke

• HMP Featherstone

• HMP Ford

• HMP Fosse Way

• HMP Foston Hall

• HMP Guy’s Marsh

• HMP Hatfield

• HMP Hewell

• HMP Highpoint

• HMP Humber

• HMP Huntercombe

• HMP Kirkham

• HMP Kirklevington Grange

• HMP Lancaster Farms

• HMP Leeds

• HMP Lewes

• HMP Leyhill

• HMP Liverpool

• HMP Long Lartin

• HMP Maidstone

• HMP Manchester

• HMP North Sea Camp

• HMP Preston

• HMP Prescoed

• HMP Risley

• HMP Rochester

• HMP Send

• HMP Springhill

• HMP Standford Hill

• HMP Stoke Heath

• HMP Sudbury

• HMP Swaleside

• HMP The Verne

• HMP Usk

• HMP Warren Hill

• HMP Winchester

• HMP Wymott

• The planned new prison in Buckinghamshire

Replacement contractors have been appointed on projects previously supplied by ISG and ESS, in line with contingency plans, with pre-construction work either now complete or ongoing.

The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Leyhill has since been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes, but we continue to deliver c.100 Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) at this site. The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Springhill has also been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes. The RDCs at HMP Erlestoke and HMP The Verne that ISG were contracted to deliver are now complete.

As set out in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, published December 2024, the initial assessment indicates that ISG’s administration is expected to result in delays of between three to 18 months for the affected maintenance and prison expansion programmes timelines. We continue to work with new contractors to minimise delay and accelerate delivery wherever possible, and we remain on track in our aim to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031. We have already delivered c.3,100 new prison places since taking office.

Following the collapse of ISG Construction Limited, the Ministry of Justice activated contingency plans for affected projects. We remain committed to continuing the prison build programmes and to continuing to invest in prison maintenance so that existing places remain in use and are safe.

Construction projects to deliver maintenance and additional prison places were planned for completion by ISG Construction Limited at the following prisons:

• HMP Birmingham

• HMP Brinsford

• HMP Bristol

• HMP Bullingdon

• HMP Cardiff

• HMP Coldingley

• HMP Dartmoor

• HMP Durham

• HMP Erlestoke

• HMP Featherstone

• HMP Ford

• HMP Fosse Way

• HMP Foston Hall

• HMP Guy’s Marsh

• HMP Hatfield

• HMP Hewell

• HMP Highpoint

• HMP Humber

• HMP Huntercombe

• HMP Kirkham

• HMP Kirklevington Grange

• HMP Lancaster Farms

• HMP Leeds

• HMP Lewes

• HMP Leyhill

• HMP Liverpool

• HMP Long Lartin

• HMP Maidstone

• HMP Manchester

• HMP North Sea Camp

• HMP Preston

• HMP Prescoed

• HMP Risley

• HMP Rochester

• HMP Send

• HMP Springhill

• HMP Standford Hill

• HMP Stoke Heath

• HMP Sudbury

• HMP Swaleside

• HMP The Verne

• HMP Usk

• HMP Warren Hill

• HMP Winchester

• HMP Wymott

• The planned new prison in Buckinghamshire

Replacement contractors have been appointed on projects previously supplied by ISG and ESS, in line with contingency plans, with pre-construction work either now complete or ongoing.

The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Leyhill has since been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes, but we continue to deliver c.100 Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) at this site. The planned Category D Expansion at HMP Springhill has also been descoped from the Prison Supply Programmes. The RDCs at HMP Erlestoke and HMP The Verne that ISG were contracted to deliver are now complete.

As set out in the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, published December 2024, the initial assessment indicates that ISG’s administration is expected to result in delays of between three to 18 months for the affected maintenance and prison expansion programmes timelines. We continue to work with new contractors to minimise delay and accelerate delivery wherever possible, and we remain on track in our aim to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031. We have already delivered c.3,100 new prison places since taking office.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansions at HMP The Verne and HMP Guys Marsh.

Although the sites at HMP Kirklevington Grange, HMP Warren Hill, and the new prison in Buckinghamshire were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included HMP Birmingham, HMP Liverpool and HMP Prescoed.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

ISG Construction Limited ceased work on all Ministry of Justice sites on the date of their administration, 20 September 2024. This included the expansion at HMP Erlestoke.

Although the sites at HMP Leyhill, HMP Ford and HMP Standford Hill were due to be completed by ISG, the projects were still in their design stage at this time and on-site works had not yet started before the company went into administration.

Construction projects were planned for completion by ISG Construction Limited at the below prisons:

• HMP Birmingham

• HMP Liverpool

• HMP Prescoed

• HMP The Verne

• HMP Kirklevington Grange

• HMP Warren Hill

• HMP Guys Marsh

• HMP Erlestoke

• HMP Leyhill

• HMP Ford

• HMP Standford Hill

• The planned new prison in Buckinghamshire

Work is underway to recommence delivery across these projects. We are committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and are on track to do so by 2031. We have already delivered c.2,600 of these since taking office.

ISG Construction Limited entered administration on 20 September 2024 and was caused by the financial health of the overall ISG group. The Ministry of Justice awards contracts in line with the relevant procurement regulations including undertaking appropriate due diligence.

Subcontractors have been made aware that the Department is not able to underwrite debt owed by ISG as a result of their administration, and that they should engage with the Joint Administrators (Ernst & Young) with regard to any claims arising from their contracts with ISG.

The Ministry of Justice has been in contact with c.350 subcontractors of ISG Construction Limited. The Department has used a dedicated mailbox for this purpose and issued an update letter to subcontractors on 6 March 2025.

Since ISG entered administration, the Department has worked to minimise the impact on subcontractors. We enabled the swift return of subcontractor’s tools and equipment from affected sites and are supporting subcontractors to retrieve any materials that were on site with the cooperation of the Administrator.

The Ministry of Justice did not have a direct contractual relationship with ISG’s subcontractors and the Department’s assessment to date is that there is no obligation to act as the guarantor of all of ISG’s payments to its subcontractors. Payment by the Ministry of Justice into the project bank account does not create a direct contractual relationship between the Department and subcontractors.

Due to ongoing legal and commercial sensitivities, we are unable to comment on the final part of the question regarding the outcome of our engagement with EY.

The Government’s plans to widen the definition of a Public Interest Entity were announced in the King’s Speech as part of the announcement on the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill.

Companies whose securities are traded on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and banks, building societies and insurers are required to have an audit committee. Other private companies are not required to have an audit committee, but may choose to have one. Outside of the regulated financial sector, companies are not required to have an internal audit function. The Government plans to extend the scrutiny of the largest private companies’ external audits through the draft Audit and Corporate Governance bill and will set out full details of what that will include in due course.