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Prison (Probation Posts)

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisons plan to reduce probation posts during the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. [26664]

Miss Widdecombe: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 29 April 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the percentage of prisons which plan to reduce probation posts during the current financial year.
The number of prisons and young offender institutions in which there are plans for a decrease in probation staff during 1996-97 is 56. This represents 44 per cent.
The Prison Service is committed to partnership with the Probation Service to deliver the custodial and non-custodial parts of a prisoner's sentence effectively. Governors have been discussing with chief probation officers the scope for improvement in efficiency and for more effective use of all available resources. This includes other ways of discharging continuing tasks which have been undertaken by probation staff but which do not require their specialist skills.

Prisons (Education Facilities)

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisons plan to reduce education facilities during the current financial year; and if he will make a statement. [26665]

Miss Widdecombe: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 29 April 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the percentage of prisons that plan to reduce education facilities during the current financial year.
73 prisons and young offender institutions, 57 per cent., are currently planning to reduce contracted educational provision in 1996-97.
Education is an essential part of the opportunities which must be provided in prisons. The Prison Service has given guidance to governors which identifies the core curriculum areas to which priority should be given. This includes the necessary support for prisoners who lack the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. But it is right for governors to review all regime activities and make considered decisions on how available financial provision can best

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 403

be utilised. There is, for example, scope for improving the targeting of education provision and for considering whether other activities, like work and programmes to tackle offending behaviour, can better address identified prisoner deficits.

Prison Service (Capital Programme)

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the effect of the reduction to the current financial year's Prison Service capital programme on (a) roof and cell strengthening, (b) renewal of services, (c) maintenance spending, (d) new kitchen and regime facilities and (e) new information technology projects; and if he will make a statement. [26666]

Miss Widdecombe: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 29 April 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the effect of the reduction to the 1996-7 Prison Service capital programme on specified classifications of spend.
Roof and cell strengthening schemes at higher security prisons will be given priority. Work on the remaining projects planned for 1996-7 has been rephased and will be funded either conventionally, or through the private finance initiative (PFI). Where governors have concerns about possible compromises to security, they will make local short-term arrangements to strengthen other aspects of security, such as closed circuit television.
Some 50 per cent, around £16m, of renewal of services and maintenance projects have been deferred until later years, although those schemes identified as vital are proceeding in 1996-7. Because of the nature of these projects, it is possible that they might attain a higher priority during the year and the Prison Service strategy is to monitor and review the situation on a regular basis.
Essential kitchen schemes that address health issues will proceed in 1996-7 with a total spend of around £2.5m. The other projects initially planned for 1996-7 are currently being considered for funding through PFI in later years. Where there is a risk that this delay compromises the role of the kitchen and the functioning of the prison, short-term maintenance will be undertaken.
Regime facilities that are essential to support the opening of new houseblocks in 1996-7 are in the current programme. Those schemes that have been deferred will be considered for funding through the private sector.
A project, known as Quantum, has been initiated to identify the scope for, and then to procure, the provision of all IT services under a PFI agreement. This obviates the need for a significant capital provision for IT in 1996-7.

Prison Service (Staff)

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Prison Service posts will be lost during the current financial year; what was the target figure set; and if he will make a statement. [26667]

Miss Widdecombe: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 29 April 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of Prison Service posts lost during the current financial year; and what was the target figure.

29 Apr 1996 : Column: 404

Reductions in staff are part of the Prison Service's plans for improving its cost efficiency. Final decisions on numbers have not been taken. These decisions will be reached following local consultation with the unions and will take into account the operational needs of the Service, available financial provision, the scope for cost reductions in other areas and the numbers of staff who have applied for voluntary early retirement and severance.

Maximum Security Prison

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Home Office feasibility study on the super-max prison will be published; for how long he has had the study; what are the reasons for the time taken to publish the study; and if he will make a statement. [26670]

Miss Widdecombe: My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet received the final Prison Service report examining the feasibility, costs and benefits of building a maximum security prison to house the most dangerous prisoners in the system and a control prison to hold the most unruly and disruptive prisoners.

Prison Service (Redundancy Package)

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Treasury-funded redundancy package for the Prison Service will be extended beyond 27 March 1997; and if he will make a statement. [26673]

Miss Widdecombe: 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 29 April 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the Treasury-funded redundancy package for the Prison Service being extended beyond 27 March 1997.
The White Paper "The Civil Service--Continuity and Change" announced that from 1 October 1994 to 31 March 1997, 80 per cent of the cost of early departures--whether voluntary or compulsory--would be funded from the central Civil Service Superannuation Vote. The scheme is administered by the Office for Public Service and applies across the Civil Service. There are currently no plans for the scheme to be extended beyond March 1997.

Late Payments

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid later to the private sector for goods and services by his Department in 1995-96. [26153]

Mr. Howard [holding answer 24 April 1996]: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of bills were paid late by his Department in 1995-96. [26117]

Mr. Howard [holding answer 24 April 1996]: This information is being collated by the Department of Trade and Industry and will be published by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade before the summer recess.

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Fire Safety Regulations

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 December, Official Report, column 960, on new fire safety regulations, when he now plans to introduce the regulations; and what assessment he has made of the costs of the regulations to (a) small businesses, (b) medium-sized enterprises, (c) large businesses and (d) all businesses. [27089]

Mr. Sackville: I hope to make an announcement shortly.

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