Overview
- The cross-party report cites severe overcrowding, staff shortages and poor conditions that keep many inmates locked for 22 hours or more each day.
- About half of prisoners are not in education or work programmes, and two-thirds are out of work or education six months after release.
- Official data show 91 prisoners were mistakenly freed between April and October, with the justice secretary confirming three remain at large after erroneous releases.
- MPs flag routine failures to deliver the 15-hour education minimum for children in custody and report real-terms prison education budget cuts of up to 50%.
- The government says it is creating 14,000 prison places, reforming sentencing and investing in maintenance to ease crowding and support rehabilitation.