Question follow-through · 23284

Prisons: Repairs and Maintenance

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cells across the prison estate are vacant awaiting maintenance work before they can be occupied by prisoners.

answeredMinistry of Justice

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice
Tabled: 28 Aug 2026
Target answer date: 2 Sept 2026
Answer: 8 Sept 2026 · 11 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Votes on this topic

Opposition Day: Early release of prisoners · 7 Jul 2026

These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.

Recorded timeline

28 Aug 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cells across the prison estate are vacant awaiting maintenance work before they can be occupied by prisoners.
2 Sept 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
8 Sept 2026
Answer published
Prison capacity is taken out of use both temporarily and on a longer-term basis for a number of reasons. Owing to current pressure on prison capacity, all non-essential maintenance has been stopped to ensure that all cells that can be used are used. Only ...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Prisons: Construction

8 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the scope of the £110m of funding fast-tracked to accelerate construction of new prison places and secure new land for prisons.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

HMP Liverpool: Repairs and Maintenance

14 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22797 on HMP Liverpool, for how long has work at the prison been paused.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Prison Accommodation

14 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 23332 on Prison Accommodation, when were the 6,000 places delivered, and in what locations, prior to the publication of the 10-Year Capacity Strategy.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Prison Accommodation

15 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the current remaining capacity across the Category A prison estate.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

HMP Liverpool: Repairs and Maintenance

15 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22797 on HMP Liverpool, who is the new contractor that has been identified and by when will a new contractual programme have been confirmed.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Prisons: Lancashire

15 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prison category and capacity will the new prison at Garth be.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Prisons: Buckinghamshire

15 Sept 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prison category and capacity will the new prison at Grendon be.

Strong linkSame MP, department and exact heading