London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Prisons in England and Wales hit by nearly 1,000 coronavirus cases

Figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal 542 members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus across 72 English and Welsh prisons.
A total of 422 prisoners tested positive for the disease across 74 facilities as of 5pm yesterday, up 11 since the day before. Meanwhile 23 Prisoner Escort and Custody Services staff have been confirmed as having the virus.

North of the border 154 inmates have been granted early releases by the Scottish prison Service as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf described the figures as ‘positive progress’ and said it has ‘helped to make prisons safe environments’.

The first early releases took place on May 6, according to an SPS report. None of the prisoners involved showed symptoms of Covid-19, which would have delayed the process. A governor’s veto was used in 23 cases to prevent early release.

Barlinnie let out the most inmates, at 25, followed by HMP Edinburgh at 19 and Glenochil, Kilmarnock and Low Moss prisons all at 17. A total of 445 prisoners are considered eligible for the scheme, which is being dealt with in three phases up to June 1.

It follows new legislation introducing powers for the early release of a specific class of inmates in Scottish inmates. This includes short-term prisoners nearing the end of their time in custody.

The scheme is limited to those sentenced to 18 months or less and who on had 90 days or less left to serve as of April 30.

Releases under the regulations are subject to exclusions to ensure public protection, such as those who are imprisoned for life or with convictions for sexual offences, domestic abuse or terrorism offences.

Meanwhile, the latest SPS figures indicate a total of 24 prisoners were self-isolating across nine institutions on Tuesday with one confirmed coronavirus case. The deaths of six inmates have been linked to Covid-19.

Statistics suggest there were 811 members of staff absent across the SPS as of Friday, which is 18.3% of the workforce. A total of 532 – 12% of those off – were absent due to Covid-19.

This includes those who are symptomatic, self-isolating, shielding or caring for family members. A total of 40 of these staff, 0.9% of the total workforce, are reported to be showing symptoms.

On April the Ministry of Justice announced plans to let out as many as 4,000 low-risk prisoners within two months of their release date. Selected offenders are released with electronic tags and can be recalled at the first sign of trouble.

The Government department bought 2,000 tags to monitor these inmates, but as of May 12 only 57 had been freed.

The ministry said its end of custody temporary release (ECTR) scheme was still going ahead and that alternative uses were being found for the surplus tags, the cost of which was not revealed.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×