HMP Manchester inmates locked up for 22 hours a day, report finds

Too many prisoners at HMP Manchester are locked in their cells for 22 hours a day, an inspection has found.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said there were too few jobs for inmates and limited access to education at the former Strangeways prison.

He noted the prison had improved living conditions, was calmer and the governor was trying to increase support for rehabilitation of long-term inmates.

The Prison Service said "improvements" were being made to address the issues.

HMP Manchester - which held 624 men at the time of the unannounced inspection in September - changed from a local prison to a Category B training prison in 2020, retaining a small Category A function.

Mr Taylor said the governor was trying to transform "the culture of the prison and mindset of the staff to focus on the rehabilitation of long-sentenced prisoners rather than the needs of a more transient local prison population, though much of this work had been delayed or derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic".

He said the work had been supported by some improvements in living conditions with all but a few prisoners held in single cells and new kitchens on wings "would soon mean prisoners could cook their own food".

However, with Covid restrictions still in place, "many prisoners were still spending over 22 hours a day locked in their cells with few jobs available, very limited offending behaviour programmes and face-to-face education practically non-existent".

The report said for a training prison these gaps had a "huge impact on the progression opportunities".

It also found prisoners lacked trust in prison staff and did not believe complaints would be dealt with robustly.

Mr Taylor said the governor had taken active steps to address some issues including moving his office and those of senior managers on to the wings to increase their visibility to prisoners and staff.

Inspectors highlighted an improvement in the atmosphere at the prison since its last inspection in 2018, with the report adding "good and caring interactions" between staff and prisoners evidence of the progress.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We are pleased our work to improve rehabilitation and the prison environment at HMP Manchester has been recognised.

"Our measures during the pandemic have saved thousands of lives and improvements are already under way to address issues identified in September's inspection."

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