Isle of Man Prison

Summary

The request sought details on the cessation of off-island prison training and monthly control and restraint staffing levels since 2020. The authority confirmed off-island training stopped in 2018 and could not provide historical correspondence, while disclosing that no mandated staffing levels exist and providing KPI data for staff up-to-date with training.

Key Facts

• All off-island Prison Officer Entry Level Training (POELT) ceased in 2018.
• Correspondence regarding the 2018 POELT decision is no longer retained due to staff turnover.
• There are no mandated staffing levels for Control and Restraint (C&R) as the service can be outsourced.
• As of September 2025, 85% of operational staff are up to date with C&R refresher training against an 80% KPI.
• C&R training was suspended during specific periods in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Data Disclosed

• 2018
• 2020
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024
• 2025
• 85%
• 80%
• 91%
• 76%
• 37%
• 43%
• 71%
• 49%
• 44%
• 52%
• 50%
• 48%
• 32%
• 79%
• 63%
• 73%
• 90%
• 92%
• 93%

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held or cannot be found after taking reasonable steps

Original Request

Training - HMP: When did training at Her/His Majesty's Prisons ('HMP') stop ancd please provide the reasons for this decision. Please provide the reason(s) and associated emails, letters and associated correspondence Training - control and restraint: Please state by year and by month (from 2020) the control and restraint staffing levels, actual and needed/mandated POELT training , when it stopped and reasoning why , correspondence within prison on why POELT Stopped / got cancelled

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Coordinator DHA Headquarters Tromode Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP

Telephone: (01624) 687017 Web address: www.gov.im/dha
Email: DPO-DHA@dha.gov.im

Our ref: 4832381 23 September 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 28 July 2025, which states:

"Training - HMP: When did training at Her/His Majesty's Prisons ('HMP') stop and please provide the reasons for this decision. Please provide the reason(s) and associated emails, letters and associated correspondence (POELT training, when it stopped and reasoning why, correspondence within prison on why POELT Stopped / got cancelled)

Training - control and restraint: Please state by year and by month (from 2020) the control and restraint staffing levels, actual and needed/mandated

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
1) The department has confirmed that all off island POELT (Prison Officer Entry Level Training) stopped in 2018. The Prison & Probation service team have confirmed that any correspondence would no longer be retained as the senior management team responsible for oversight within the prison have since either left or retired. Under our duty to provide advice and assistance the Department have confirmed all POELT is now conducted on island.
2) Regarding Control & Restraint (C&R) staffing levels, there is no mandated staffing levels required as this service can be outsourced. Under our duty to provide advice and assistance the Department has provided the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for the levels of staff who are up to date with refresher(C&R) training, this currently stands at 85% of operational staff as of September 2025, with the KPI itself being 80%. See below for recorded KPI levels.

Please quote the reference number 4832381 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. Year /Mont h April May June July August September October November December January February March 2020- 2021 No C&R or training was carried out due to Covid 19

2021- 2022 No C&R or training was carried out April – August due to Covid 19

91% 76% 37% 43% 43% 71% 71% 2022- 2023 49 % 49 % 44 % 44 %

43%

43%

52%

52%

52%

50%

48%

49% 2023- 2024 32 % 49 % 79 % 63 %

63%

63%

73%

90%

90%

92%

93%

93%

I will now close your request as of this date.