Overview

• Of the new protective vests, 5,000 will be individually fitted for officers in long‑term and high‑security prisons.
• The Taser rollout expands a July trial from 20 specialist officers to 500 trained prison‑based response staff.
• The package is backed by about £15 million, with prisons already beginning to receive the new equipment this week.
• Ministry of Justice figures report 10,568 assaults on staff in the year to March, a 7% increase on the previous year.
• Jonathan Hall KC is leading a review into the Frankland incident, and Hashem Abedi is due in court on September 25 on attempted murder charges.