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been consideration of an embargo on the importation of Nigerian oil until democracy is restored in that country.Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 January 1995]: The European Union measures against Nigeria will be reviewed, or strengthened, in the light of progress towards a return to democratic civilian rule. All options will, of course, be considered.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by the United Nations Commission for Human Rights to investigate human rights abuses in Nigeria.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 20 January 1995]: The 51st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights will meet from 30 January to 10 March. The EU will be making a strong statement about its concerns regarding human rights abuses in Nigeria.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisons Ombudsman
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the salary paid to the prisons ombudsman;
(2) how many staff work in the prisons ombudsman's department; what is their role; and what salaries they are paid.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The prisons ombudsman is paid at a rate equivalent to the civil service grade 5 salary scale which ranges from £38,341 to £56,953.
The prisons ombudsman's office currently has ten staff, two assistant prisons ombudsmen, five higher executive officers, two administrative officers and a personal secretary. Their role is to assist with investigations of complaints from prisoners about their treatment in prison. The salary scales for the grades are: Assistant Prisons Ombudsman (Grade 7) £25,837 £40,012
Higher Executive Officer £16,000 £21,564
Administrative Officer £9,393 £12,450
Personal Secretary £13,322 £16,320
A third assistant prisons ombudsman and another higher executive officer will join the staff in January.
Prisoners (Unlocked Hours)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners held in establishments at (a) Doncaster, (b) Lindholme, (c) Wolds, (d ) Wakefield, (e) Durham women's wing and (f) New Hall, Wakefield, prisons, were unlocked for a total of at least 12 hours on the last week day of each month for the last six months.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 18 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the percentage of prisoners held in Doncaster, Lindholme, Wolds, Wakefield, Durham women's wing and New
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Hall prisons, who were unlocked for a total of at least twelve hours on the last weekday of each month for the last six months. All prisoners at Doncaster, Lindholme, Wolds, Durham women's wing and New Hall were unlocked for at least twelve hours on theColumn 44
last weekday of each month for the last six months. Prisoners at Wakefield are currently unlocked for 11.6 hours on weekdays. More detailed information is given in the following table:Column 43
Average number of hours unlocked per prisoner
|July |August |September|October |November |December
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Durham |12.75 |12.75 |12.75 |12.75 |12.75 |12.75
Lindholme |15.5 |15.5 |15.5 |15.5 |15.5 |15.5
New Hall |12.0 |12.0 |12.0 |12.0 |12.0 |12.0
Wakefield |11.6 |11.6 |11.0 |11.6 |11.6 |11.6
Wolds |13.75 |13.75 |13.75 |13.75 |13.75 |13.75
Doncaster |14.5 |14.5 |14.5 |14.5 |14.5 |14.5
Secure Units
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of prisoners being held in special secure units in England and Wales on 10 January;
(2) under what security category each prisoner is classified who is at present being held in a special secure unit;
(3) what is the number of special secure units in prisons in England and Wales.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 23 January 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about special secure units in prisons in England and Wales.
There are three special secure units in prisons in England and Wales, at Full Sutton, Parkhurst and Whitemoor prisons.
At present only the unit at Full Sutton is in use. On 10 January this year it held eight prisoners, all of whom are category A (exceptional escape risk).
Prison Education Officers
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison education officers were employed in each year since 1991.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of prison Education Officers employed each year since 1991. Teaching staff, are not and have not been Prison Service employees. The Prison Service does not maintain central records of the numbers of staff deployed to prison Education Departments by the various education providers.
Prison Staff
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prison officers and (b) prison auxiliaries were employed in each year since 1990.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prison officers and prison auxiliaries employed by the Prison Service since 1990.
I attach a table showing the number of prison officers and prison auxiliaries employed by the Service at 1 April each year since 1990. This is with the exception of 1991 where the figures are for 1 October, as April figures are unavailable.
The figures for prison officers include the figures for senior officers and principal officers. All specialist officers and prison officers in initial training are also included.
|Prison |Prison
Year |officers |auxiliaries
------------------------------------------------
1990 |20,785 |994
1991<1> |21,421 |1220
1992 |23,029 |1278
1993 |23,994 |1436
1994 |23,756 |1621
1995<2> |24,237 |1840
<1> As at 1 October
<2> As at 1 January
Absenteeism
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the absenteeism rate for the United Kingdom Passport Agency in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: Figures are available only for absenteeism due to sickness in the United Kingdom Passport Agency. The information is recorded in terms of days absence per staff member per year and is as follows:
|Days
------------------
1991 |16.69
1992 |15.96
1993 |15.01
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the absenteeism rate for Her Majesty's Prison Service in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the absenteeism rate for Her Majesty's Prison Service in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Figures are not collected centrally on absenteeism, but we do have information on sick absence, which accounts for virtually all absence from work other than leave. The average number of days sick absence per uniformed prison officer per year in 1991 92 was 13.97; in 1992 93 it was 12.76; and in 1993 94 it was 13.05. These statistics relate to basic grade prison officers, senior officers and principal officers who together comprise nearly two thirds of all Prison Service staff.
The sick absence of other staff is recorded by the Home Office, but cannot be separately identified for Prison Service staff.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the absenteeism rate for the Home Office in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Howard: Figures are not collected centrally on absenteeism. The average number of working days lost through sick absence per staff year in the Home Office, including its agencies was as follows:
1991--9.9
1992--9.0
1993--10.6
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the absenteeism rate for the Forensic Science Service in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Maclean: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Forensic Science Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Dr. Janet Thompson to Mr David Chidgey, dated 23 January 1995:
You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question about the absenteeism rate for the Forensic Science Service in 1991, 1992 and 1993. As you know, the arrangement now is that the Chief Executive of an Executive Agency, with the agreement of the Minister, replies to Members of Parliament on operational matters. I am therefore replying on behalf of the Forensic Science Service.
The average number of days sick absence per member of staff per year in 1992 93 was 6.4, and in 1993 94 was 6.61. These figures include long term sick absences.
The figures for 1991 92 were recorded centrally by the Home Office and cannot be identified separately.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the absenteeism rate for the Fire Service College in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
Mr. Nicholas Baker: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the chief executive of the Fire Service College, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from N. K. Finlayson to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 19 January 1995:
Your Parliamentary Question asking for information about the absenteeism rate for the Fire Service College in 1991, 1992 and 1993 has been referred to me by the Home Secretary for reply, as the matter falls within my delegated authority.
I regret that the information for the College is not available in the form requested for the dates requested. The College became an Executive Agency on 1 April 1992. Prior to that date and since,
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details of sickness absences have been included as part of the overall figures for the Home Office.For the 12 months ending in September 1994 the average number of sick days per member of staff was 7.7 days.
Prisoners (Paracetamol)
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policy guidelines are issued to prison staff on the prescribing and administration of paracetamol to inmates; and what variations exist between different prisons.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John Gunnell dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question concerning the policy guidelines on the prescribing and administration of paracetamol.
There are no specific policy guidelines issued on the prescribing of individual drugs with the exception of controlled drugs. Each prison is supervised by a qualified pharmacist and arrangements for the distribution of drugs is agreed between the pharmacist and the prison medical officer, according to local requirements.
Doncaster Prison
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training programmes are available for staff at Doncaster prison.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply, in the absence of the Director General from the office to your recent Question about training programmes available to staff at Doncaster prison.
All Prisoner Custody Officers (PCOs) undergo initial training to a specification approved by the Prison Service before certification. I am advised by the Director of Doncaster prison that the following in-service training programmes are provided:
Weekly Continuation Training of Prisoner Custody Officers, including security practices, control and restraint, first aid, suicide awareness, hostage incidents and anti-bullying.
Specialist Courses for Prisoner Custody Officers include: hostage negotiations, the escort and movement of category A prisoners, drug testing and identification, use of short duration breathing apparatus, sentence calculation, drug dog handler training and dealing with young offenders.
Training for non-Prisoner Custody Officers, who have each received a minimum of forty hours training including personal security, prisoner and premises security, race relations, health and hygiene and being first on the scene at a hostage incident. Management Training, which included a specialist senior management course prior to the opening of Doncaster. Operational directors have attended the Command of Serious Incidents course at the Prison Service College.
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners can be accommodated in the health care centre at Doncaster prison.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 23 January 1995:The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Doncaster prison.
The Health Care Centre at Doncaster can accommodate 59 patients. Twenty- seven places are in three wards, 12 are in double rooms and the remainder in single rooms.
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what numerical criteria were contained in the contract between the Home Office and the Premier Prison Service Ltd. at Doncaster; and how many (a) escapes from court, (b) escapes from the prison, (c) grievance resolutions, (d) assaults on prisoners and (e) assaults on staff there were in the first six months.
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply, in the absence of the Director General from the office to your recent Question about the contract with Premier Prison Service Limited to run Doncaster prison.
The contract for managing Doncaster prison, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons library, specifies a range of performance criteria, against which the performance of Premier Prison Service is measured.
The following are the principal criteria:
Escapes from the prison: there should be no more than two by the end of the first year of operation and thereafter no more than one in each year of operation.
Escapes from escort: there should be no more than eight in each year for the first three years and no more than six in the fourth year.
Time out of cell: prisoners on normal location should be out of their cell for a minimum 12 hours per day.
A positive regime: prisoners on normal location should be able to participate in at least a minimum of 12 hours each day of regime activities, including education: adult prisoners should have access to a minimum of six hours of education and training each week, young prisoners under 17 should be provided with 15 hours of education and training each week.
Visits: the statutory minimum as set out in Prison Rules must be met.
Grievances: ninety per cent of grievances capable of resolution at prison level must be resolved within seven days.
Assaults: there should be no more than 148 assaults on prisoners by the end of the first year of operation, and no more than 77 assaults on staff by the end of the first year of operation. The contractor will be in default when both of these targets are exceeded.
In general, Premier Prison Service do not have a contractual obligation to supervise prisoners at court, since the court escort and custody service in that area has been contracted to Group 4 Court Services Ltd. They are, however, responsible for Category A prisoners taken from Doncaster prison to court. None has escaped from the custody of their escorting officers at court, or on journeys to an from court.
There has been one escape from Doncaster. On 10 August 1994, a prisoner escaped through the visitors exit with the help from a visitor. The prisoner was recaptured and criminal proceedings are pending.
There have been 546 resolved grievances in the first six months of operation of Doncaster prison.
At 31 December 1994, the latest date for which figures are available there had been 38 proven assaults by prisoners against other prisoners and 93 proven assaults against staff.
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