Prisoners kept in solitary confinement type conditions during Covid-19 pandemic

The Commons Justice Committee was told that some prisoners in England and Wales were allowed out of their cells for only 30 minutes a day during the UK lockdown, which was introduced to stem the spread of Covid-19.

In their report published yesterday, MPs said they were ‘concerned’ at how long such measures had been kept in place.

POLICE: Sheffield woman killed in collision in Skegness

But the committee also praised the efforts of ministers, prison staff and those behind bars in ensuring there was no mass outbreak of the virus.

CRIME: Police find 25 wraps of Class A drugs in Sheffield street

At the time of signing off the report, 23 prisoners and nine members of staff in the prison service had died after testing positive.

The feared mass outbreaks of the disease did not occur, the committee noted, and MPs said the worst had so far been averted by accommodating prisoners, as far as was possible, in single occupancy cells and keeping new arrivals and older, vulnerable prisoners in separate areas.

Other measures taken included suspending family visits, introducing social distancing and extending lockdowns where needed.

During the inquiry, the Howard League for Penal Reform told members the conditions in prisons were ‘consistent with, or very close to, international definitions of solitary confinement’ where inmates spend 22 hours or more alone each day.

Dame Anne Owers, national chair of the Independent Monitoring Board, stated in a letter to the committee that some prisons were ‘providing as little as 30 minutes a day out of cell, or exercise only every other day’.

In their report, the MPs concluded: “We are concerned about how long lockdown measures have been in place, and while we recognise the increased complexities of moving a prison out of lockdown, we are concerned about the effect severe restrictions will have on prisoners.

“The prison estate has been in a state of lockdown for 15 weeks, and it is concerning that prisoners have not yet begun to transition from that state.”