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Open Prisons

Asked by Lee AndersonReform UKMinistry of JusticeTabled Answered 20 October 2025UIN 78555

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to review (a) policies on the transfer of prisoners to open prisons and (b) the eligibility criteria for prisoners to be moved to open prisons.

Answered by Jake Richards

There are no current plans to revise the policy on transfer of prisoners to open prisons, or the eligibility criteria. As with all prison categories, this matter is kept under continuous review. Changes may be made, as necessary, to adapt the capacity of the prison estate to changes in the composition of the custodial population.

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