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Public and Contracted Prisons
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Paul Goggins): In my written statement on 15 July announcing publication of the Prison Service and national probation service annual reports for 2003–04, I stated that a full breakdown of the performance of both public and contracted prison establishments in relation to the applicable key performance indicators (KPIs) would be provided at a later date.
The information on all applicable KPIs is presented in the table that has been placed in the Library. No category A prisoners escaped from any prison and so performance on this KPI is not included in the table. Information is not available at establishment level on the resettlement KPI (which is calculated on the basis of a national resettlement survey), and on the two KPIs on contracted escorts (escapes and timely arrival at court) which are not managed at establishment level. The contracted prisons do not have targets on staff sickness levels or minority ethnic representation. Due to data collection problems there are no figures available for doubling in contracted prisons.
Forensic Science Service Annual Report and Accounts 2003–04
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint): I have today laid before Parliament copies of the Forensic Science Service's (FSS) annual report and accounts for 2003–04.
Performance against agency targets 2003–04:
The FSS met 20 of its 22 targets and put in a robust financial performance. Of the two targets not achieved, one was missed narrowly and the other became unachievable through circumstances outside of the agency's control. Details are contained in the annual report.
The Forensic Science Service agency targets for 2004–05 are as follows:
Three year rolling average of 15 per cent. minimum return on capital employed.
75 per cent. reduction in charges versus the average earnings index.
Increase investment in development by a minimum of 12 per cent. of turnover.
Secure £1.25 million of external funding for research and development.
Embed the internal FSS end to end process.
Implement the new definitions of timeliness (NDoT) based on investigative and evidential contributions of forensic science for 100 per cent. of forces.
Make available to 100 per cent. of forces the process of end to end case ownership.
Sign up 100 per cent. of customers (police and CPS) at force level to service agreements (timelines and charging) in context of national protocol.
Allocation of 100 per cent. of cases to a dedicated FSS case officer.
Roll out training packages for police and CPS to support new ways of working.
Design and develop a link between NDNAD and NAFIS (carried forward from last year).
Maintain a capacity to deliver fast track processing of DNA samples within 48 hours.
Deliver 15 per cent. of DNA samples (subject to demand) within 48 hours (fast track processing).
Average time of seven days to analyse and inform customers of DNA crime scene stain results (normal track).
95 per cent. of DNA crime scene stain results (see above) will have a turn round time of 12 days.
Average time of five days to analyse and inform customers of DNA suspect sample results on database (normal track cases).
95 per cent of DNA suspect sample results (see above) will have a turn round time of eight days.
Increase forensic effectiveness by fully implementing the index and benchmark system.
95 per cent of jobs (excluding road traffic accidents and alcohols) will have a turn round time of 35 days.
Maintain ISO Accreditation.
Maintain Investors in People accreditation.
Maintain diversity programme.
Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre
The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Mr. Desmond Browne): On the evening of 19 July there was a serious disturbance at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre.
At about 8 pm staff found a detainee hanging in a shower-room at the centre. At about 11 pm a number of detainees became disruptive and started to set a number
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of fires in the communal areas. These fires were put out by the newly installed fire protection system. The police and fire services were called to the scene.
The disturbance continued and became more serious. Staff from UKDS, the company managing the centre under contract from the Home Office, withdrew from the association areas. Standing arrangements in the Prison Service for dealing with serious incidents were activated, and by midnight the Gold Command Suite at Prison Service headquarters was in operation. By 4 am on 20 July the Prison Service Operation Tornado teams went into the centre. By 8 am three of the four house blocks were under Prison Service control. The fourth came under control a little later in the morning, and by 2 pm all parts of the centre were calm.
The Centre is, for the time being, unsuitable for use. The 441 detainees who were there at the time of the disturbance are being removed to other accommodation, and we are in the final stages of dispersing them across a range of sites, including the IND removal estate and prison establishments while a small number have been taken into police custody. No detainees have been released. An assessment of the damage is being made with UKDS, and the centre will be reopened as quickly as possible. In the meantime, alternative arrangements are being made for the handling in particular of those detainees whose asylum claims were being dealt with under the fast track.
This was a serious disturbance, and I pay tribute to all those who responded quickly and succeeded in restoring order. It is important to note that the disturbance did not lead to loss of life or serious injury. No detainees escaped, and the measures which had been taken to prevent a recurrence of the fire at Yarl's Wood Centre proved successful. We are determined that the centre be restored to full use as soon as possible.
The tragic death of the detainee earlier in the evening of 19 July will be the subject of a full investigation by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman. The police are conducting a criminal investigation into the events themselves. There are also likely to be managerial lessons to be learned and I have instigated an immediate investigation, the terms of reference of which will be: to establish the facts of the events at Harmondsworth on the evening of 19 July and the morning of 20 July; to consider the factors which may have given rise to the disturbance and the effectiveness of the measures which were taken to deal with it; and to make recommendations.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Court Services
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Christopher Leslie):
The MCSI inspection of courts services annual report for 2003–04 has been laid before Parliament today. This document gives full details of the MCSI's performance for that year. Copies of the report have been place in the Libraries of both Houses.
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