Petition · past parliament

All prisoners need more time out their cells to prevent depression.

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

Improvements on the conditions that are going on in the prisons such as HYGIENE and CLEANLINESS. Attention needs to be paid to the prisoners MENTAL and PHYSICAL health, during this period of COVID-19. More time to speak to families and loved ones on the phone, as all visits have been cancelled.
No matter what offence they have committed, prisoners still should be treated equally, as they still have their human rights just like any other person. They are already serving their time and being mistreated more is not fair! Families are worried during this incident being on lockdown themselves. We need to stand and speak up for these prisoners by becoming their voice so that their words can reach the nation. The situation is so much worse for the prisoners inside during this lockdown period.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

Operational decisions about how prisons are managed are a matter for HM Prison Service, and executive agency sponsored by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, and not the Government or Parliament.

The Government has published guidance on coronavirus and prisons, which states that if you have urgent concerns about someone in prison during the coronavirus outbreak you should contact the prison directly: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-and-prisons

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/

Timeline

30 Mar 2020 Petition opened for signatures
14 May 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 14 May 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.