Jane Hunt MP asked:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure his Department's estate delivers (a) effective public services and (b) value for money.
The Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister for Immigration Compliance and Courts, responded:
We continue to keep our estate under review to ensure it delivers effective public services and value for money. We have already launched the most ambitious prison building programme for generations, delivering over 13,000 places by the mid-2020s, and have dramatically increased the use of technology in the courts system. An extra £285m of improvements to courts and prisons will be made this year as part of the plan for economic recovery announced by the Prime Minister. This extra spending will keep thousands of people in work and generate jobs for thousands more, helping the UK recover from the economic freeze brought on by coronavirus. These improvements will also help to speed up justice through the courts and improve education in prisons and youth custody so that offenders leave less likely to reoffend.
