APPG report calls on UK Government to make physical activity and sport a ‘core priority’ for prisons
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sport and Physical Activity in the Criminal Justice System has published the official report from its independent inquiry into physical activity and sport across the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE), and the Adult Custodial Estate in England and Wales.
The report sets out a series of practical, evidence-informed recommendations to strengthen the role of sport and physical activity within the criminal justice system, with the aim of improving health, wellbeing and rehabilitation outcomes for people in custody.
Written and oral evidence gathered during the 18-month inquiry contributed to the final report, which offers valuable guidance for government action aimed at improving access to physical activity within prisons. The inquiry commenced in January 2024 with a call for evidence and comprised of four APPG meetings between May 2024 and the summer of 2025 which focused on the Adult Male Estate, the Youth Justice Estate, VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) organisations that work in Criminal Justice, and the Female Estate.
- In its final report, the APPG asserts that physical activity and sport “must be recognised as an essential component of a modern, rehabilitative justice system—not a peripheral or optional extra”. To achieve this, it calls on government to make physical activity and sport “a core priority across the estate” and for policy-makers to protect and prioritise “spaces for physical education, physical activity and sport”.
- It lists seven key recommendations which range from ensuring that all new prison builds include adequate facilities for year-round physical activity and that green spaces are protected, to establishing a national taskforce to strengthen partnerships and the role of physical activity and sport in rehabilitation.
- The report also states it should also be mandatory for all women and girls in custody to be issued with appropriate sportswear, including supportive underwear, suitable footwear and appropriate clothing, treating access to physical activity as a matter of dignity, equity and rehabilitation
The overall inquiry was launched in the wake of alarming reports highlighting the adverse effects of physical inactivity on individuals within the secure estate. This stood in stark contrast to a growing body of evidence indicating that engaging in physical activity and sports can play a pivotal role in promoting healthier, pro-social lifestyles and reducing reoffending rates.
Commenting on the report, Baroness Sater, Co-Chair of the APPG said: “Too often, physical activity and sport are treated as optional extras within a system under pressure. Yet a growing body of evidence shows that rehabilitation outcomes are stronger when people are supported to be physically and mentally well.
“Physical activity is an important and under-utilised tool in rehabilitation. This is not a conversation we can afford to revisit in another decade. This report sets out practical foundations for progress — and now is the time for Ministers to act.”
Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, commented: “I welcome this extremely important report. On inspection we regularly see how much opportunities for physical activity support not only the well-being of prisoners, but also their engagement with other rehabilitative activities within the jail.”
Overseen by APPG officers, and supported by the Alliance of Sport in its role as Secretariat for the APPG, the following organisations contributed to the Inquiry:
- Adult Male Estate (May 2024): HMPPS; HMP Berwyn; HMP & YOI Prison Brinsford; HMP & YOI Feltham; HMP Five Wells; NHS England; Twinning Project; Fulham Reach Boat Club; University of Bath; University of Oxford.
- Youth Justice Estate (May 2024): HMPPS; Hillside Secure Children’s Home; Vinney Green Secure Children’s Home; HMP & YOI Parc; NHS Foundation Trust; Youth Custody Service; Youth Justice Board; Be Inspired; Sports Connect.
- VCSE organisations working in Criminal Justice (May 2024): Activity Hub Bristol; Run For Your Life; The Feathers Association; The 180 Project; parkrun; Steel Warriors; 3Pillars Project; University of Bath; Active Lancashire; Cell Workout; RECOOP; 100&First Foundation; Street Soccer London.
- Female Estate (May 2025): Ministry of Justice; HMPPS; HMP Send; HMP New Hall; HMP/YOI Drake Hall; Royal Holloway, University of London; Novus; Storm Break; parkrun; Evolve-Denim; Prison Phoenix Trust; Boats Not Bars.
Following publication of the report, the APPG will convene a high-level roundtable bringing together senior decision-makers from justice, health and sport to review the recommendations, identify practical mechanisms for implementation, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
The intention is clear: to move beyond repeat reviews and into action — supporting delivery, sharing responsibility and ensuring that physical activity and sport are embedded as a core component of rehabilitation, rather than revisited as an unresolved issue in future inquiries.