The lack of purposeful activities at one of Britain’s most secure prisons is limiting opportunities for rehabilitation and may be contributing to a sharp increase in drug use.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at Belmarsh has flagged a serious lack of education, skills and work opportunities for prisoners in its 2023-24 annual report, published today (11 October 2024). The Board echoes the concern expressed by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent review of prisons in England and Wales, that the lack of purposeful activity may be fuelling a sharp increase in drug use at the prison.

The IMB noted that:

• Only one third of the population was involved in purposeful activity throughout the reporting year and time out of cell continued to vary greatly – with some only permitted an hour and a half a day out of their cell.
• Drug use in Belmarsh continued to rise. The results of a recent mandatory drug test showed that a quarter of the prisoners tested were positive.
• Overcrowding in the estate was a major contributing factor in the lack of progression for the men held at Belmarsh.
• Shortages of probation staff meant that prisoners were often inadequately prepared for release.
• Too many prisoners were being held in segregated conditions for too long, with 17 prisoners being held for more than 100 days during the reporting year. In many cases individuals were held in these conditions due to no alternative suitable accommodation to manage their needs.

The Chair of Belmarsh IMB, Peter Ward, said:

“Belmarsh can be a very challenging place, and staff are to be commended by the Board for the way they work to maintain the day-to-day safety and security.

However, there are limited opportunities for prisoners to engage in purposeful activity, education, or resettlement work. Furthermore, overcrowding in the prison estate was a major contributing factor to problems of progression as transfer opportunities to more suitable prisons were limited.”