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HOME DEPARTMENT
Prisons (Security Standards)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of setting minimum security standards for all prison establishments in England and Wales. [35864]
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 Brian Landers to Mr. George Howarth, dated 10 July 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the cost of setting minimum security standards for all prison establishments in England and Wales.
The Prison Service has a phased programme to develop minimum security standards, but has not yet reached a decision on the appropriate standards to apply to all prison establishments in England and Wales. Until this work is complete, it is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of setting minimum standards.
Taxi Fares
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent in meeting the costs of taxi cab fares in the 1995-96 financial year. [36007]
Mr. Howard: Information about the values of payments on taxi cab fares is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Cheshire Police
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the last five years the total budget allocated by his Department to Cheshire police. [36531]
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Mr. Maclean: Cheshire police authority's budgeted expenditure on policing for each of the last five years is set out in the table.
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 74.5 |
| 1993-94 | 78.7 |
| 1994-95 | 88.3 |
| 1995-96 | 93.1 |
| 1996-97 | (4)98.5 |
(4) This figure is the total of the budget set by the police authority and the special grant for additional police officers in 1996-97.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of (a) constables and (b) special constables in the services of the Cheshire police for each of the last five years. [36532]
Mr. Maclean: The information is in the table.
| Year | Constable strength as at 31 March | Special Constables strength as at 31 December |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1,424 | 299 |
| 1992 | 1,413 | 274 |
| 1993 | 1,447 | 387 |
| 1994 | 1,453 | 320 |
| 1995 | 1,487 | (5)321 |
| 1996 | 1,536 | (5)274 |
(5) As at 31 March.
Prisoners (Taxis)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last 12 months private taxis have been used to transport prisoners (a) to and (b) from Doncaster prison; what category were the prisoners on each occasion; and if he will make a statement. [36295]
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 Brian Landers to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 10 July 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the use of taxis to escort prisoners at Doncaster prison.
Taxis are used at Doncaster prison to take prisoners to and from hospital appointments at short notice.
During the last 12 months, 65 prisoners were escorted from the prison using taxis. Of these, 52 were category B, five were category C and eight were category D. There is no record of the number of prisoners arriving at Doncaster by taxi.
Cheshire Fire Service
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the number of fire stations closed in the Cheshire fire service area in each of the last five years; [36472]
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- (2) if he will list the number of firefighters employed by the Cheshire fire service in each of the last five years; [36471]
(3) if he will list the number of appliances operated by the Cheshire fire service in each of the last five years. [36473]
Mr. Sackville: The position on 1 January in each of the last five years is as follows:
| 1 January 1992 | 1 January 1993 | 1 January 1994 | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumping appliances | 40 | 39 | 39 | 47 | 47 |
| Special appliances | 21 | 21 | 21 | 12 | 16 |
| Wholetime firefighters | 614 | 638 | 632 | 624 | 628 |
| Retained firefighters | 186 | 176 | 189 | 201 | 194 |
No fire stations have been closed in the area served by Cheshire fire brigade during this period.
Sex Offenders
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers who have committed sexual offences against children from among those listed in "Sentencing and Supervision of Sex Offenders", while serving, and for which they were subsequently prosecuted, since 1972. [36514]
Mr. Maclean: This information is not kept in the form requested, or for the period requested. However, records of the numbers of serving police officers in England and Wales convicted for sexual offences are available for the years 1993 and 1994. These show that one officer in 1993 and three officers in 1994 were convicted for sexual offences. The records are not broken down by type of offence and the 1993 records do not include the Metropolitan police.
Colchester Young Offender Institution
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the selection procedure for the new commandant in charge of the high-intensity training centre, Colchester; [36206]
- (2) what training is being given (a) to the commandant and (b) to other military staff at the young offender regime at Colchester; [36208]
(3) on what legal basis the commandant at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester will be allowed to conduct adjudications; [36210]
(4) how many military and Prison Service employees will be employed at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester; and what will be their duties. [36216]
Miss Widdecombe: 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.
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 173
Letter from Brian Landers to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 10 July 1996:
Mr. Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what will be the Prison Service title of the high-intensity centre, Colchester; [36207]
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about staff issues at Colchester young offenders institution.
The commandant will be appointed when the Prison Service is satisfied that he is competent to discharge the responsibilities of that post. The commandant is undertaking training planned by the Prison Service College both at the college and at prisons.
Training for other military staff to be appointed to the young offender institution includes a three week programme designed and provided by the Prison Service College.
The commandant as governor of Colchester young offender institution will conduct adjudications under the powers in the Young Offender Institution Rules.
Staff at the young offender institution, in addition to the governor, will be:
a Prison Service governor grade 4, responsible for the day to day running of the institution;
a unit manager and two shift supervisors appointed from the military corrective training centre;
16 prison officers, of whom eight will be from the Prison Service and the other eight appointed from the military corrective training centre;
a Prison Service administrative officer.
- (2) when he plans to open the high-intensity training centre Colchester; [36209]
(3) what is the current estimated unit cost per place at (a) the high-intensity training centre, Colchester, (b) Thorn Cross and (c) Her Majesty's prison, Feltham; [36214]
(4) how much (a) has been and (b) will be paid to the Ministry of Defence for the use of premises at the military corrective centre at Colchester as a high-intensity prison; [36215]
(5) what arrangements will be made at the high-intensity training centres to ensure minimum security standards. [36220]
Miss Widdecombe: 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 Brian Landers to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 10 July 1996:
10 Jul 1996 : Column: 174
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about the high intensity training centre at Colchester.
The formal title will be Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Colchester. It will usually be known as Colchester young offender institution, and is expected to open in the autumn.
The current estimated figures for annual cost per place are £28,700 for Colchester, £27,200 for the high intensity training programme at Thorn Cross young offender institution and £17,280 for Feltham.
Nothing has yet been paid to the Ministry of Defence for accommodation. The cost to the Prison Service will be £101,000 per annum, in addition to which the Service will pay the actual cost of utilities and a contribution in lieu of rates.
Mr. Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements will be made for the provision of through and after care at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester; [36212]
Colchester Young Offender Institution and the High Intensity Training Centre at Thorn Cross Young Offender Institution will comply with Prison Service security requirements for prisoners held in open conditions.
- (2) how many hours out of cell will be provided to offenders at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester; and what will be the range of activities; [36217]
(3) how many (a) probation, (b) education and (c) psychology posts will be made available at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester; [36218]
(4) what the average term served at the high-intensity training centre, Colchester will be, and at what point of their sentence the offenders will be received. [36219]
Miss Widdecombe: 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 Brian Landers to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 10 July 1996:
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