"It is imperative that further attention is paid to bringing prisons back under firmer control, reversing recent trends of escalating violence, self-harm and disorder. Without such action, the implementation of these wider reforms will be undermined," Bob Neill, the committee's chair, was quoted as saying in the Justice Committee's report.
After an earlier warning from the committee about the drastic surge of violence in British prisons, the Justice Ministry and the National Offender Management Service tried to improve the situation, but these efforts failed, according to the report.
The latest data referenced in the report shows that over 150 attacks on staff had occurred on average every three months since January 2015, leading to death of a prison officer in July 2015. The parliamentary watchdog recorded a 57-percent increase in fires in 2015 compared to 2014 as well as higher rates of homicides and suicides in custody.
"The Ministry hoped that prison safety would stabilize. In reality it has deteriorated further and continues to do so. This is a matter of great concern and improvement is urgently needed," Neill stressed.
Following a report on "scandalous" rates of offenses, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced in February 2016 plans to reform the UK penal system by increasing oversight of prison management.
British imprisonment rates were one of the highest among other European countries in 2012-2014, while budget cuts and austerity measures made UK prisons less safe, the report found.
