Disclosure Team
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Julian Shersby
xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
29 August 2018
Dear Mr Shersby
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request – 180731012
Thank you for your request dated 31 July in which you asked for the following information
from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ):
Please can you confirm the current cost of using the PIN phone system for prison
inmates as follows:-
1. In The Parkhurst section of HMP Isle of Wight please confirm the current per minute
call cost plus any additional call connection cost per call charged to prisoners at both
any peak (eg weekday or weekday daytime including the hours at which those
charges apply) or offpeak (eg weekday evening or at weekends including the specific
hours at which any lower charging rate applies) for calling standard UK landline
phone numbers (commencing 01 or 02) and for any landline phone numbers
(commencing 07) that prisoners are authorised to call in their individual prison PIN
phone accounts? Also if possible within the cost constraints of an FOI request please
provide any earlier (probably higher) call cost rates for making such calls to landline
and mobile phones from the Parkhurst section of HMP Isle of Wight using the PIN
phone system over the last 20 years or such shorter time period as may readily easily
be available so as not to exceed the cost limits of an FOI request.
2. Please confirm the same information as in point 1 regarding the cost of calls using
the prison PIN phone system at peak and offpeak periods to landline (01/02) and
mobile (07) phone numbers across all other prisons operated either directly by Her
Majesty's Prison and Probation Service or by third party contractors such as G4S
Security. If the current PIN phone call cost rate per minute is in fact the same at every
prison in the UK (including the Parkhurst section of HMP Isle of Wight) then all that is
requested is the applicable tariff rate (per minute and including any connection
charge) at peak and off peak periods charged to prisoners for calling landline (01/02)
or mobile (07) numbers. If however the call rate charged to prisoners for making calls
to landline and mobile phones at peak and off peak periods using the PIN phone
system varies by prison establishment then a complete break down of the current call
cost to landline and mobile phones at peak and off peak periods by prison
establishment is requested instead. Also if possible within the cost constraints of an
FOI request please provide any earlier (probably higher) call cost rates for making
such calls to landline and mobile phones at peak and off peak periods using the PIN
phone system that may have been charged over the last 20 years or any such shorter
time periods as may readily easily be available so as not to exceed the cost limits of
an individual FOI request.
3. Please provide any other currently applicable phone call cost rates paid by inmates
at peak and off peak periods to landline (01/02) or mobile (07) phone numbers in
prisons within the UK either directly operated by or operating under contract to Her
Majesty's Prison and Probation Service by third party contractors (eg G4S) that do not
operate the PIN phone account system for prisoners but operate some other
mechanism for charging prisoners to make outgoing phone calls. Also if possible
within the cost constraints of an FOI request please provide any earlier (probably
higher) call cost rates for making such calls to landline and mobile phones at peak
and off peak periods using phone systems other than the PIN phone system that may
have been charged over the last 20 years or during such shorter time period as may
readily easily be available so as not to exceed the cost limits of an individual FOI
request.
4. On a prison by prison basis within Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service
(whether in directly operated prisons or those operated under contract to HMPPS)
please state the maximum length of phone call currently permitted (if any such
maximum length of call time is in fact applicable) to each of the following categories
of prisoners:-
A. Entry Privileges Prisoners
B. Basic Privileges Prisoners
C. Standard Privileges Prisoner
D. Enhanced Privileges Prisoners
Also if possible within the cost constraints of an FOI request on a prison by prison
basis (whether in directly operated prisons or those operated under contract to
HMPPS) please provide any historical information that may be available over the last
20 years (or for such shorter time period during which historic call time restrictions
may readily be available) indicating previous maximum lengths of phone calls that
may have been permitted to the following classes of prisoners or their the nearest
historical equivalent prisoner classification groups.
A. Entry Privileges Prisoners
B. Basic Privileges Prisoners
C. Standard Privileges Prisoners
D. Enhanced Privileges Prisoners
However in respect of requests 3 and 4 if the length of maximum time permitted for
outgoing phone calls currently is and has always been the same across all prisons of
a given prison type (eg Category A, Category B, Category C and Category D) operated
by or under contract to HM Prison & Probation Service or its antecedents then it
would be satisfactory to simply provide the maximum length of phone call time
permitted for different classes of prisoner (Entry, Basic, Standard or Enhanced) for
each of the four different prison category types (Categories A to D inclusive). The
Applicant is willing to discuss varying his request in any such manner as is practical
to minimise the cost of making the above request so as to better fit in with the manner
in which such data is actually currently held by Her Majesty's Prison and Probation
Service. However it should be noted that such a request has only been necessary in
the first place because of the almost total lack of current transparency by HMPPS in
making publicly available the rate of call costs that prisoners currently face to call
either their friends or relatives.
Your request has been handled under the FOIA.
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I can confirm that the MoJ holds the information that you have requested. However, some of
the information is exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the FOIA, because it is
reasonably accessible to you.
In regards to your questions 1, 2 and 3, we have recently provided this information to you in
our response to FOI request 180731003 issued to you on 16 August. It is my understanding
that we do not hold historical information dating back 20 years and would suggest contacting
our provider who is responsible for setting the pin phone tariffs, British Telecom, who may be
able to supply this to you.
With respect to question 4, prison rules require prisons to actively encourage prisoners to
maintain outside contacts and meaningful family ties. Prisoners also have a statutory
entitlement to send and receive letters. Letters and phone calls assist in sustaining
supportive relationships with family and friends and being able to communicate with those
outside is part of providing a safe and decent environment for prisoners and contributes to a
reduction in self-harm and suicide.
As highlighted in our previous response to FOI 180731003, the Secretary of State for Justice
recently announced plans to further roll out in cell telephones, which are already in place in
20 establishments, with plans to extend this to a further 20 over the next 2 years.
Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 30/2013 Incentives and Earned Privileges sets out the
operational framework for all prisons and Young Offender Institutions in delivering the
Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme and this is published on the Justice website and
can be accessed via the following link:
https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/psipso/psi-2013/psi-30-2013-1.doc
Additionally, Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 49/2011, Prisoner Communication Services
outlines the minimum statutory requirements and ensures that good order and discipline is
maintained. Again this PSI is published on the Justice website and can be accessed via the
following link http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psis/prison-service-instructions-2011
Appeal Rights
If you are not satisfied with this response you have the right to request an internal review by
responding in writing to one of the addresses below within two months of the date of this
response.
xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Disclosure Team, Ministry of Justice, 10.38, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ
You do have the right to ask the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to investigate any
aspect of your complaint. However, please note that the ICO is likely to expect internal
complaints procedures to have been exhausted before beginning their investigation.
Yours sincerely
J Nicholson
Long Term and High Security Prisons Group.
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