Investment in prison education technology

Early day motion 1536, tabled 23 February 2021 by Zarah Sultana (Labour). Signed by 27 members.

That this House notes that the covid-19 outbreak has highlighted the importance of access to remote learning, especially in prisons; further notes that almost 90% of respondents to a survey of University and College Union members working in prisons reported that IT resources were not sufficient for the needs of staff or students and that poor technological infrastructure was having a negative impact on student learning; recognises that years of underinvestment in prison education and in-cell technology has meant that remote learning is currently impossible for the vast majority of prisoners; believes that the pandemic has also exposed numerous issues undermining the wider delivery of prison education, including underfunding, understaffing and other consequences of a commissioning system run for profit; and calls on the Government to invest urgently in prison education technology and professional training, developed and run by the public sector, to maximise learning opportunities for prisoners, both during this pandemic and beyond.

Signatures by party: Labour 18, Plaid Cymru 3, Independent 2, DUP 1, Green 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1.