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West Yorkshire Police Force

Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff were employed by the West Yorkshire police force in each year since 1979 to date. [4803]

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Mr. Maclean [holding answer 19 November 1996]: The information is as follows:

As at March	Police strength	Civilian strength
1979(28)	4,739	1,191
1980	4,805	1,199
1981	5,084	1,270
1982	5,147	1,305
1983	5,145	1,238
1984	5,109	1,229
1985	4,991	1,253
1986	5,145	1,275
1987	5,142	1,360
1988	5,184	1,458
1989	5,278	1,613
1990	5,260	1,743
1991	5,268	1,875
1992	5,087	1,821
1993	5,037	1,867
1994	5,046	1,912
1995	5,050	1,965
1996	5,142	2,037

(28) As at May.

Criminal Cases Review Committee

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information was provided by the chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Committee to the selection committee responsible for his appointment in respect of his membership of the freemasons; and if this was regarded by the committee as a personal matter which might cause public embarrassment. [4912]

Mr. Kirkhope [holding answer 19 November 1996]: None. In making its recommendations to my right hon. and learned Friend, the selection committee was guided by the overriding principle of selection based on merit. Sir Frederick was an outstanding candidate.

Police Assistance

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning insurance cover for special constables, lay visitors and other volunteers providing assistance to the police. [4649]

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 November 1996]: Representations have been received from the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association on behalf of the Mountain Rescue Council, and from a small number of right hon. and hon. Members.

Prisons

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an estimate of the number of places for prisoners in HM prisons in each of the years 1996 to 2006. [52]

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. Chris Davies, dated 20 November 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of places for prisoners in each of the years 1996 to 2006.

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Accommodation is defined as Planning CNA in use, which excludes places taken out of use for refurbishment and simple sanitation projects, and a small operating margin. It represents the total number of uncrowded places estimated to be available in the estate. It is not the operational capacity, which is the number of prisoners the estate can hold without serious risk to good order, security and the proper running of regimes and which allows for overcrowding. At the end of October 1996 Operational Capacity was 58,977 compared to a total prison population of 57,587.
The latest available accommodation estimate includes new prisons at Fazakerley, Bridgend, and the proposed new prison at Agecroft as well as the re-built Lowdham Grange, all of which will be constructed under the private finance initiative. Also included is the increase in capacity to meet the recent rise in the prison population.

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Over the longer term, further permanent measures will be required to hold the projected prison population. The size of the building programme and funding requirements are under discussion in the current Public Expenditure Round.
The forecast also excludes additional places to be built as set out in the White Paper to hold the increase in the prison population resulting from the Crime (Sentences) Bill.
The forecast is shown below.

Years	Accommodation
1995-96	48,350
1996-97	51,450
1997-98	54,800
1998-99	57,100
1999-00	58,550
2000-01 to 2005-06	58,550 in each year

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 625

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