Charlie Taylor, the outgoing HM inspector of prisons for England and Wales, has released a withering final annual report stating that "brutal" cuts to prison education and training by Labour ministers are leading to increased drug use, self-harm and violence. Taylor, who steps down in the autumn after six years, also warned authorities to keep a "close eye" on the impending release of thousands of prisoners later this year.
Spending cuts and their impact
Some prisons have cut frontline spending on education by up to 50%, despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer's general election manifesto promise to improve "access to learning" in prisons. Taylor noted that long lock-up times and poor regimes have barely improved since he began his role during the pandemic. "During my time as chief inspector of prisons I have had the privilege of seeing what is possible under the leadership of some outstanding governors. Sadly, this year a lack of regular, purposeful activity for prisoners has been a key factor in a concerning rise in drug use and violence, as well as continued high rates of self-harm," he said. "At a cost of £59,000 a year for each prison place, the taxpayer has the right to expect more for their money."
Education cuts driving despair
Taylor told reporters that education and training cuts are driving despair and boredom, which in turn fuels drug use and violence. He cited an example of one jail where the number of teachers dropped from 22 to nine. "So these are real cuts in particular jails to the level of provision. And it's some basic services that are unfortunately being cut. We know, for example, that many prisoners can't read properly. We know that some of them don't have the very basic maths and numeracy that they need in order to be able to be successful when they come out. Since the pandemic, things have got worse," he said.
Risk to public from prisoner releases
The public could be at increased risk when thousands of short-term prisoners are released under the Sentencing Act, Taylor warned. "Public protection arrangements are not as good as we would want to see. Liaison between services within the prison and within the community are not as good as we want to see. A lot of prisoners are going to be going out from jails in September, October, November. And we will watch very closely what the effect of that is in terms of reoffending rates and risk to the public," he said.
Drug use and violence statistics
In inspection reports published between April 2025 and March 2026, 41% of men and 38% of women reported that it was easy to get hold of drugs in their jail, with many crime gangs delivering packages to order. Taylor revealed that prison drug dealers are now using drones to fly in Allen keys and super-strength glue so prisoners can remove and replace windows to allow in larger drug packages. "In one particular jail, for example, Allen keys were coming in with Gorilla Glue. That was so prisoners could unscrew the window, the whole frame of the window, be able to receive a package, then put it back before people would even notice that the contraband had got into the prison," he said. Violence increased in two-thirds of the men's prisons inspected, and serious assaults rose in 40%.
Delays in mental health transfers
The annual report also found "appalling" delays in transferring seriously mentally unwell patients to secure hospitals. One patient at HMP Swaleside waited 711 days for transfer. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the social justice charity Nacro, said: "This report should be a wake-up call. Too many prisons have become places where people are locked in their cells for hours on end while organised crime gangs use drones to flood prisons with drugs, fuelling violence and fear. This isn't an environment where rehabilitation can succeed."
Government response
Prisons minister Lord Timpson acknowledged the report highlighted "serious challenges" but noted that 76% of recent prison inspections had found improvement. He said: "Two years ago, the prison system was on the verge of collapse. Today, we've stabilised it, building thousands of prison places, reforming sentencing and investing heavily in security so prisons cut crime and create fewer victims. There is much more to do, which is why we've also asked former Conservative home secretary Amber Rudd to lead an independent review."
