National Preventive Mechanism Eleventh Annual Report 2019–20 prisons. The Prison Performance Support Programme follows on from the learning arising from the 10 Prisons Project, which invested over £10 million in ‘challenging’ prisons and focused on reducing violence and the availability of drugs. Statistics about the project published in August 2019 showed an overall reduction in assaults by 16% and a 50% reduction in positive drug tests.48 However, four of the 10 prisons showed little or no improvement, and in one, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, violence had significantly increased. There was criticism of the project after an analysis of official data by the charity INQUEST highlighted that the number of deaths in the 10 prisons had increased by 20% (from 34 in the previous year to 41 during the first 11 months of the project).49 48 49 50 51 52 53 22 Since 2016, the MoJ has committed to creating 10,000 new prison places in England and Wales, to replace old accommodation. In March 2017, a number of projects were announced to meet this target, including the building of new prisons and expansion of existing ones across seven sites. To date there have been varying levels of progress. Construction began in Wellingborough in September 2019 for a new prison (HMP Five Wells) and a new houseblock at HMP Stocken was completed in 2019, yet plans for a prison in Port Talbot were withdrawn in January 2019 following strong community objections and the temporary closure and redevelopment of HMP Rochester and HMP Hindley have been delayed.50 Further plans to close old prisons in poor condition are now on hold. In August 2019 the government made a further announcement that it would spend up to £2.5 billion to create the 10,000 prison places.51 These 10,000 places, it said, would be in addition to the approximately 3,500 places created since the initial commitment was made in 2016.52 The Justice Secretary said in October 2019 that the MoJ was aiming to reach the 10,000 figure by 2025.53 MoJ, August 2019, Press release: 10 Prisons Project sees drops in violence and drugs, https://www.gov.uk/government/ news/10-prisons-project-sees-drops-in-violence-and-drugs [accessed 24/08/2020] The Guardian, August 2019, Deaths on the rise in 10 of toughest prisons in England and Wales, https://www.theguardian. com/society/2019/aug/22/deaths-on-the-rise-in-10-of-britains-toughest-prisons [accessed 24/08/2020] House of Commons Library, November 2019, Briefing Paper: The Prison Estate, http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/ documents/SN05646/SN05646.pdf [accessed 24/08/2020] MoJ, August 2019, 10,000 extra prison places to keep the public safe, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/10-000extra-prison-places-to-keep-the-public-safe [accessed 24/08/2020] House of Commons Justice Committee, September 2019, Letter from Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland to Chair of the Justice Committee, Bob Neil, https://old.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Justice/correspondence/Letterfrom-Robert-Buckland-Lord-Chancellor-on%20Settlement-for-2020-21.pdf [accessed 24/08/2020] House of Commons Library, November 2019, Briefing Paper: The Prison Estate, http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/ documents/SN05646/SN05646.pdf [accessed 24/08/2020]