HMP Hull prisoners spending too long in cells - inspector

The March inspection was designed to check on progress on recommendations made for improvements in 2021

Inmates at HMP Hull are spending too long confined to their cells, according to a report by the prison watchdog.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons found offenders were spending up to 23 hours locked up each day.

The inspection in March was a follow-up to one undertaken in 2021, which highlighted a drop in standards at the jail.

Inspectors said the prison should be "congratulated" on improvements made since, but further progress was needed.

HMP Hull houses about 900 remanded or newly-convicted men and vulnerable prisoners.

In 2021 inspectors found violence was increasing, raised concerns about the use of force and described the amount of time prisoners spent in their cells as "disappointing".

'Greater ambition'

Following March's review chief inspector Charlie Taylor said there had been "good or reasonable progress" made, including a significant fall in incidents of violence against staff and prisoners, by 60% and 55% respectively.

However, he said prisoners were still spending too little time out of their cells.

"This had hardly increased since the last inspection and was much poorer than we have recently seen at similar prisons," he wrote.

He added that not all available workspaces were filled in some of the workshops and the gym was operating well below capacity.

Mr Taylor concluded: "The governor, his senior team and staff should be congratulated on what they have achieved so far in addressing the shortcomings we identified at the last inspection.

"As Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, the renewed confidence in the prison now needs to be translated into a much greater ambition in the amount of time that prisoners are unlocked from their cells."