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HOME DEPARTMENT
Women's Prisons
Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what new guidelines he plans to issue in respect of women prisoners applying for admission to the mother and baby unit in Holloway Prison; [63171]
- (2) what are the current guidelines for women prisoners to apply for admission to the mother and baby units in (a) Styal, (b) New Hall and (c) Askham Grange prisons. [63170]
10 Dec 1998 : Column: 264
Mr. George Howarth: The women's policy group of the Prison Service are conducting a review of principles, policies and procedures for mothers and babies in prison. The review will be completed by 31 March 1999. The review, with recommendations for a future strategy, will be submitted to the Director General by 31 March 1999. This review will be published. A copy of the current guidance is available in the Library.
Prisoners (Repatriation)
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review procedures for the repatriation of prisoners serving a sentence in England and Wales to their country of origin; and if he will make a statement; [63050]
- (2) how many foreign prisoners were repatriated to their country of origin in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) the first nine months of 1998; and how many in each case were repatriated to the Republic of Ireland. [63051]
Mr. George Howarth: Details of prisoners who have been transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons over the period in question, and, of these, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.
No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| Prisoners transferred to foreign jurisdictions | |
| 1995 | 12 |
| 1996 | 21 |
| 1997 | 17 |
| 1998(3) | 44 |
| Prisoners transferred to the Republic of Ireland | |
| 1995 | 0 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 12 |
| 1998(3) | 27 |
(3) up to and including 7 December
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales were transferred under the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners during (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 1998 to date; and how many of these prisoners emanated from the Irish Republic; [63039]
- (2) how many foreign nationals serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales are nationals of countries to which repatriation of prisoners from the United Kingdom may take place under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners. [63037]
10 Dec 1998 : Column: 265
Mr. George Howarth: The numbers of prisoners transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, over the period in question, and of those, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.
No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.
| Year | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Prisoners transferred to foreign jurisdictions | ||
| 1995 | 12 | |
| 1996 | 21 | |
| 1997 | 17 | |
| 1998(4) | 44 | |
| Prisoners transferred to the Republic of Ireland | ||
| 1995 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 7 | |
| 1997 | 12 | |
| 1998(4) | 27 | |
(4) Up to and including 7 December
Prison Offences
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 1998, Official Report, column 41, if the figures for the total number of offences referred to the police for prosecution by prison governors in each year contained in table 2 are directly comparable; for what reason no figures are available for 1993; what assessment he has made of the increase in the number of offences in prison; and if he will make a statement. [63084]
Mr. George Howarth: The figures quoted in my response of 9 November are not directly comparable, as information for 1992-95 relates to cases referred by prison governors to the police which resulted in a prosecution, while figures for 1996 and 1997 relate to the number of cases referred to the police for prosecution but where the outcome is not known.
| Year | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 580 |
| 1993 | 780 |
| 1994 | 910 |
| 1995 | 1,240 |
| 1996 | 1,600 |
| 1997 | 1,500 |
10 Dec 1998 : Column: 266
Prisons (Costs)
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the net operating cost figure for contracted out prisons per place per annum which is contained in the HM Prison Service Annual report for the last financial year was calculated; and if he will make a statement. [63049]
Mr. George Howarth: The statistical information about contracted-out prison costs shown on page 56 of the Prison Service Annual Report for 1997-98 was calculated by dividing the "net operating costs" by either the "average baseline certified normal accommodation" or the "average prisoner population". The data shown for individual prisons listed--Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster, and The Wolds--are correct. Unfortunately, the summary figures shown have been distorted by including the average Certified Normal Accommodation and average prisoner population data for the contracted prisons--Altcourse, Parc, and Lowdham Grange--which opened towards the end of the operational year. This error has also carried forward into the summary table shown on page 55 of the Report. I have arranged for corrected copies of these tables to be placed in the Library.
Despite these errors, the contracted-out prisons continue to provide good value for money. But, perhaps more importantly, the figures shown that the gap between the contracted-out prisons' costs and public sector prisons' costs continues to reduce.
Former Secretary of State for Wales
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much police time was expended investigating the complaint of the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) of assault and robbery in Brixton on the evening of 26 October, broken down by rank of officer involved. [62875]
Kate Hoey: The Commissioner tells me that some 656 hours of local officers' time were spent on the investigation, as set out in the table:
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| Detective Constable/Police Constable | 402 |
| Detective Inspector | 160 |
| Inspector | 14 |
| Detective Chief Inspector | 80 |
| Total | 656 |
Other, senior officers were also involved with the case from time to time, but it is not practicable to calculate the duration of their involvement.
Coldingley
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what loans Wackenhut has received from HM Prison Service in connection with prison workshops at HMP Coldingley; and if such loans have been repaid; [62928]
- (2) what plans there are for the repayment of loans and debts owed to the Prison Service in respect of workshops at HMP Coldingley; [62925]
10 Dec 1998 : Column: 267
(3) if Wackenhut have paid HM Prison Service for public utilities they have used at HMP Coldingley since November 1997. [62929]
Mr. George Howarth: A loan of £105,000 was made to Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. in April 1998, of which £52,500 has been repaid. The Prison Service has asked for immediate repayment of the outstanding amount, together with amounts relating to utilities costs, which are payable by Wackenhut under the terms of the contract.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efficiency of operation of laundry, metal workshop and sign-making facilities at HMP Coldingley since 1997. [62926]
Mr. George Howarth: The Prison Service is awaiting the production of audited accounts by the contractor, Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. to enable a full assessment to be made.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Wackenhut have paid HM Prison Service for plant and machinery used by them at workshops at HM Prison Coldingley since November 1997. [62930]
Mr. George Howarth: The contract with Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. for the management of the Coldingley Prison industries does not require a payment from the company for industrial plant and machinery.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests Wackenhut have made for renegotiation of the contract for providing workshops at HMP Coldingley. [62927]
Mr. George Howarth: Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. have expressed interest in re-negotiating the terms of the contract. The Prison Service is considering this.
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