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18 Apr 2006 : Column 330W—continued
Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many standard police forms have been (a) abolished and (b) introduced since the publication of the report of the Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce. [62382]
Hazel Blears: Nearly 9,000 forms have been abolished across all forces. We do not hold information centrally on the number of police forms that have been introduced since the publication of the report of the Policing Bureaucracy Taskforce.
Port Security
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors he took into account when allocating funding for security at the ports of (a) Holyhead and (b) Mostyn, in North Wales for 2006–07. [60355]
Hazel Blears:
All decisions relating to the allocation of funding of security at ports, including Holyhead and Mostyn, are taken in conjunction with the appropriate security authorities, ensuring that all relevant factors are taken into account.
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Following consultation and widespread support we have consolidated from 2006–07 a range of financial provisions previously made for counter terrorism (CT) policing. This includes provision for dedicated security posts (DSP) previously included in the general grant formula. North Wales will receive £3.7 million in DSP funding next year and will be able to bid for further CT funding from a £64 million pot that will be allocated on advice from the Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
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Prisons
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison deputy governors' roles have been (a) downgraded and (b) upgraded in each of the last three years; and if he will list the prisons in each case. [63345]
Fiona Mactaggart: The following table details the changes that have been authorised to the grades and pay bands of deputy governors since 1 April 2004, the earliest date for which such information has been centrally recorded.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates at each prison establishment have left prison without accommodation in each of the last 10 years. [62736]
Fiona Mactaggart: Data on the accommodation status of offenders at discharge from prison have only been recorded since April 2003. Information prior to 2003 would be at a disproportionate cost to collate.
In April 2003 the prison service introduced a shadow key performance indicator (KPI) on accommodation to improve on the number of offenders leaving prison without accommodation to go to, and to have access to appropriate housing advice whilst in custody. Since the introduction of the shadow KPI which became a full KPI in April 2005, the percentage of released prisoners without accommodation to go to has fallen from 46 per cent. in 2003–04 to 13 per cent. for 2005–06 year-to-date.
A copy of the table will be placed in the House Library.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on the application of disciplinary processes of staff working within the Prison Service having personal relationships with other members of staff. [63258]
Fiona Mactaggart: There has been no specific assessment. However, where an allegation of misconduct requires an investigation, the investigating officer/investigation team are required to act impartially and independent of undue influence of others at all times. The choice of investigating officer is at the discretion of the commissioning authority and will depend on the nature of the incident and the staff involved.
Where the allegation is about a member of staff who is involved in a relationship with another member of staff the commissioning authority would take care to ensure that the matters were investigated by a member of staff who had no personal interest in the outcome of the investigation. The same consideration would apply to the person conducting any subsequent hearing.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications the Prison Service has made under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in each of the last five years (a) nationally and (b) in each establishment for surveillance operations of staff outside the establishment in which they are employed; what results were obtained from these operations; what (i) investigations, (ii) reports and (iii) disciplinary processes resulted; and if he will place a list of the applications and investigations in the House Library. [63346]
Hazel Blears: There have been two applications under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for surveillance operations on staff, both were authorised by the relevant area manager. One operation was in 2003 and the other was in 2005 and related to staff working while on long term sick absence. However, it would be inappropriate to provide further information about these operations not least to protect the covert methodology used and so as not to hinder future operations.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the Professional Standards Unit in the Prison Service. [63347]
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Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service's Professional Standards Unit (PSU) was established in February 2003 to implement its anti-corruption strategy. Its role is to receive, develop and analyse intelligence on corruption. It maintains a database to monitor the scale of corruption and to identify trends so that preventive and remedial action can be taken. PSU monitors the progress of investigations, maintains a register of trained investigators and provides advice and statistical reports to the Service. PSU currently employs 12 members of staff. A review of the Service's professional standards strategy was completed in December 2005 and is under consideration.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were investigated by the Professional Standards Unit in the Prison Service in each of the last five years; how many investigations resulted in disciplinary action; what quality assessment mechanisms are in place to judge the work of the Professional Standards Unit; and if he will make a statement. [63348]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service's Professional Standards Unit has no investigatory function and is not resourced to do so. An investigation's commissioning authority assigns investigators, who either work at the same establishment, a neighbouring establishment or within the respective area. The police are also involved if the investigation has a criminal aspect.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) complaints, (b) investigations and (c) disciplinary action progressed by the Prison Service's Professional Standards Unit related to (i) prison support staff, (ii) prison officer grades, (iii) prison governor grades and (iv) Prison Service headquarters staff in the last year for which figures are available. [63349]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service Professional Standards Unit does not progress complaints, investigations or disciplinary advice on any Prison Service staff. This work is carried out by the individual governor of an establishment or the head of headquarters units or groups.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the compulsory transfer of staff in the Prison Service. [63350]
Fiona Mactaggart: When staff transfer to a new employer, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, are applicable to the Prison Service. In addition, the public sector Prison Service complies fully with the policies that currently apply to central Government and agencies, including the Cabinet Office statement of Practice," Staff transfers in the Public Sector" and its annex A Fair deal for Staff Pensions".
Compulsory transfers within the public sector Prison Service are managed in accordance with standard Prison Service conditions of employment.
Mr. Bellingham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) prison support staff,
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(b) Prison Service headquarters staff and (c) staff in (i) prison officer grades and (ii) prison governor grades have left the service for mental health reasons in each of the last five years. [63351]
Fiona Mactaggart: Information on the number of staff leaving the public sector Prison Service for mental health reasons is not recorded centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Information on staffing matters is not collected centrally for contracted establishments as the personnel function is entirely the responsibility of individual contractors. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been released early from prison under the home detention curfew since the introduction of the scheme, broken down by offence for which originally imprisoned. [31825]
Fiona Mactaggart: The requested information is in the table, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
(115) These statistics are based on information recorded on the central Prison Service IT system at the beginning of March 2006. Further updates and amendments may be made to records on this system in future resulting in revised figures.
(116) Offence recorded on Prison Service IT system.
Investigations suggest that around 5 per cent. of offence types recorded on this system do not relate to the offence for which they were released on HOC but relate to offences committed after release from prison and before the licence expiry date for their sentence. Of the 83 discharges for sex offences shown in the table, only 64 were serving a sentence for a sex offence at their time of release. The last offender to be released on HOC while serving a sentence for a sex offence was released in January 2004.
(117) Includes the offence of bigamy.
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to consider the status of those who are in prison but do not have leave to remain in the UK. [63331]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The Prison Service is required to refer the cases of all foreign nationals, dual nationals and those whose nationality is initially unclear or where the prisoner refuses to give nationality to the Immigration and Nationality Department, so that the their immigration status can be established and their liability for deportation can be considered.
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average time was spent by prisoners on remand at each prison in each year since 1997. [63357]
Fiona Mactaggart: Information on the estimated average time spent on remand in each year since 1997 is given in the table 1. Providing average time spent on remand for each prison is not possible without disproportionate cost. Information on the numbers of prisoners held within prison establishments since 1997 is in table 2.
| Days | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 59 |
| 1998 | 56 |
| 1999 | 54 |
| 2000 | 51 |
| 2001 | 50 |
| 2002 | 51 |
| 2003 | 52 |
| 2004 | 53 |
(118) Average time spent on remand is calculated by dividing the average annual remand population by number of receptions *365.25. 2005 data are awaited
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(119) Components may not add to totals because they have been rounded independently
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the time prisoners spend on remand. [63358]
Fiona Mactaggart: Decisions on remand are a matter for the court based on the provisions of the Bail Act 1976.
With colleagues in the three Criminal Justice Departments, we are working to ensure that the courts have available to them the information they need on alternatives to remand. For example we are encouraging the greater use of electronic monitoring on bail as an alternative to remand in custody, and we are seeking to improve bail information schemes in prisons.
Cases where the individual is held on remand are currently prioritised through the court process and we are working to see what further steps can be taken to reduce the time taken to bring these cases to trial.
Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a week of vocational training was provided on average to prisoners and juvenile offenders in (a) the North West of England, (b) the North East of England and (c) the South West of England between (i) 1 March 2005 and 31 July 2005 and (ii) 1 August 2005 and 28 February 2006. [63187]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The average weekly hours of vocational training undertaken by prisoners and juvenile offenders in the North West, North East and South West prison regions in England and Wales between 1 March 2005 and 31 July 2005 and 1 August 2005 and 28 February 2006 is shown in the following table.
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions he has had with stakeholders regarding the future funding of the work of Business in Prisons; and if he will publish the notes of the meetings; [62732]
(2) what assessment he has made of the contribution made to offender resettlement by the Business in Prisons organisation. [62733]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Secretary has had no meetings with stakeholders to discuss the future funding of the work of Business in Prisons.
The Small Business Service in the Department for Trade and Industry is in the process of evaluating the work delivered by Business in Prisons. The Home Office is represented on the group steering the evaluation.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on changes in access for inmates to the gardens at HMP Belmarsh; what impact those changes have had on the availability of horticulture qualifications for inmates at the prison; what alternative arrangements will be made available to enable inmates to acquire such qualifications; and on what timetable. [62770]
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Fiona Mactaggart: Prisoners at Belmarsh no longer have access to certain areas of the grounds at the establishment. As a consequence it was necessary to curtail a scheme of training and assessment for prisoners in several practical skills of horticultural work under the National Proficiency Tests Council. Alternative arrangements for prisoners to gain key work skills are now in place.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on prison management resources of the creation of the National Offender Management Service; and if he will make a statement. [58645]
Fiona Mactaggart: The creation of the National Offender Management Service is not expected to have an impact on prison management resources.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) assessment he has made of and (b) research he has conducted on the role of building design in delivering resettlement programmes in prisons; and if he will make a statement. [61503]
Fiona Mactaggart: There has been no published Home Office research to measure the contribution of building design to the resettlement of prisoners. However, improving prison design and conditions plays a significant role in managing offenders and in encouraging greater engagement in offending behaviour programmes while in custody.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to ease prison overcrowding. [61505]
Fiona Mactaggart: NOMS keeps under review the demand on prison places and the capacity of prisons to accommodate those prisoners sent to them by the courts. It is ensuring maximum use is made of all spare capacity within the prison estate, and increasing useable operational capacity in prisons by building additional places as part of an ongoing funded building programme.
The Government believe that prison should be used to protect the public from the most serious offenders—those who are violent, dangerous or seriously persistent. Less serious offenders can normally be dealt with more effectively in the community with tough community sentences. These can include a wide range of requirements, including unpaid work, drug treatment, and curfews. We have also alerted courts to the availability of electronic monitoring to support a curfew imposed as a condition of bail. Courts are being encouraged to use this option instead of a remand in custody in appropriate cases.
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on education facilities at HMP Belmarsh. [62448]
Fiona Mactaggart
[holding answer 30 March 2006]: No representations have been received. Education and training facilities at Belmarsh are regularly reviewed and inspected by external agencies.
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Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the education (a) provision and (b) facilities at HMP Belmarsh. [62449]
Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 30 March 2006]: The most recent external assessment is a re-inspection report conducted by the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) in February 2005 and published on 24 March 2005.
The Provider Development Unit of the ALI, which is independent of the Prison Service, continues to work with Belmarsh concentrating upon developments in the provision and facilities for education, training and skills.
The Independent Monitoring Board produces an annual report which includes comment on the education facilities and provision at Belmarsh.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Prison Service Plus two programme. [62734]
Fiona Mactaggart: Prison Service Plus two is a £60 million project being delivered in 39 prisons. The project is jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and is the largest ESF funded project of its type in Europe. PS Plus two works with remand or sentenced prisoner who are eligible to work in the UK.
It aims to remove the barriers to employment and, by individually managing and motivating offenders in a range of areas, to increase their employability. In total 48,000 offenders in 39 prison establishments across England will benefit from the PS Plus two programme, which started in September 2004 and will run until December 2006.
The project focuses on providing appropriate support to individuals, and for those offenders who are unclear about their best route into employment, the provision of Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) by appropriately qualified providers. Each of the 39 prisons has a dedicated team of workers to provide support that leads to appropriate education, training and employment (ETE) brokerage. As well as employment brokerage and careers advice, beneficiaries also receive advice and support on accommodation.
The level of support is determined by the Community Integration Plan (CIP) which is produced by each individual's case manager. PS Plus has recently secured additional funding from ESF to continue work until June 2008. The project (PS Plus 3) will work in 16 prisons and 16 probation areas, building on the Through The Gate" pilot.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent change in the level of provision of outdoor activities for inmates at HMP Belmarsh. [62756]
Fiona Mactaggart:
Following a security risk assessment in 2005, it was decided to withdraw outdoor
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sports facilities at all high security prisons, including Belmarsh . As a result, the prison provides increased indoor physical education. Facilities for prisoners to spend time in the open air remain unchanged at the prison.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average weekly number of (a) receptions and (b) discharges at each prison was in each year since 1992; what assessment he has made of the impact of prison overcrowding on this number; and if he will make a statement. [62759]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The average weekly number of receptions at each prison (both for sentenced and for remand prisoners) in each year between 2000 and 2004 is provided in the tables below. Comprehensive information for receptions by establishment prior to 2000, and generally for discharges by establishment is not centrally available.
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The National Offender Management Service keeps the impact of population pressures—including overcrowding" 1 on prisoners in all prisons—under careful review. The current target for overcrowding is 24 per cent. for public sector prisons and 34.5 per cent. for contracted prisons. At the end of February the year to date rate of overcrowding was 23.7 per cent. for public sector establishments and 25.1 per cent. for contracted establishments.
In doing so, it seeks to make maximum use of all available space within the prison estate through the movement of prisoners to other prisons as soon as they are considered suitable following sentencing and categorization and which provide the degree of security they require, are suitable to their gender, age and legal status, provide facilities appropriate to their needs and are near to their homes.
(120) Only first remand and first sentenced receptions are shown. Receptions as a result of movement between prisons are excluded.
(121) Only prisons that receive prisoners on remand are shown in this list.
(122) Fewer than 26 receptions in the year.
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(123) Only first remand and first sentenced receptions are shown. Receptions as a result of movement between prisons are excluded.
(124) Fewer than 26 receptions in the year.
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of access to pharmaceutical services at HMP Belmarsh. [62760]
Fiona Mactaggart: Comprehensive pharmacy services are in place, supported by specialist agency staff and the recruitment of a new pharmacy technician is in hand. Support and advice continue to be provided through the Greenwich primary care trust pharmacy advisor.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the provision of library services on the prison estate. [62762]
Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have developed an enhanced offender library, Learning and Information Service to realise our intention to provide offenders in custody with a range of services equivalent to those found in public libraries in the outside community. A new library specification will be available throughout England and Wales from April 2006 supported by increased funding from £3,580,194 in 2004–05 to over £6,000,000 in 2006–07.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warnings for bullying were issued to (a) governors, (b) officers, (c) other staff, (d) convicted inmates, (e) immigration detainees and (f) those held on remand at each prison in each of the last 36 months. [62763]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The information required is not collated centrally in the requested format and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. Decisions in respect of the staff disciplinary process are devolved to a local level in the Prison Service. Issuing formal warnings it not a recommended process for responding to prisoners who bully. Prisons are required to be more proactive in challenging the bullying and in providing constructive interventions to change behaviour. The incidents of bullying by prisoners are monitored locally and acted upon as part of a local strategy to reduce violence and bullying.
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reliability of the statistics for the incidence of bullying in each prison. [62764]
Fiona Mactaggart: Each establishment's work in respect of bullying and violence reduction is subject to audit. Establishments analyse a range of local data to help identify problem areas and action needed to improve personal safety.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of (a) inmate access to listeners and (b) demand for listeners at each prison within the prison estate. [62765]
Fiona Mactaggart: The information required is not collated centrally in the requested format and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. 'Listeners' are Samaritan-trained prisoner peer supporters who provide emotional confidential support to prisoners. 2,650 Listeners were recruited across the estate between October 2001 and March 2004.
There are currently 118 listener schemes operating in prisons in England and Wales. Where listener schemes exist listeners are made available to all prisoners, and prisons are required to ensure that prisoners have timely access to listeners. The number of contacts recorded (by Samaritans) between listeners and prisoners between July to December 2005 was 28,570. Provision for listeners was assessed as part of Safer Custody Group's peer support project, which ran from April 2001 to March 2004, and through a three year project undertaken by the Samaritans, funded jointly by Safer Custody Group and Active Community Unit, to review the work of listeners and Samaritans being carried out in 47 'high-risk' prisons including prisoner access to listeners.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cell facilities within segregation units at each prison; what assessment he has made of the use of each of these cell facilities at each establishment; and if he will make a statement. [62768]
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Fiona Mactaggart: Details on the facilities provided in individual prison's segregation unit in England and Wales can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 22 March 2006, Official Report, column 471W on the subject.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the local procurement options open to prison governors. [62772]
Fiona Mactaggart: As part of the public sector Prison Service procurement strategy, six procurement units are being established across England and Wales to support the operational needs of clusters of prisons. By 2007, all local procurement will be routed through these units to ensure the effective application of national and local contracts as part of the service's procurement strategy.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to encourage more people aged under 30 years of age to become members of independent monitoring boards at prisons; what mechanisms exist to monitor progress; and how many members under 30 years of age have left independent monitoring boards in each of the last five years. [62777]
Fiona Mactaggart: The National Council of Independent Monitoring Boards is keen to encourage a diverse Board membership. A diversity working group and a communications working group have been formed to identify and implement strategies for raising the overall profile of IMBs amongst under-represented groups.
In addition to a diversity action plan and a communications action plan, against which progress on implementing the respective strategies can be monitored, the independent monitoring board secretariat has, since 20 March 2006, collected data on the date of birth, ethnic origin, and gender of all applicants to independent monitoring boards and whether they are registered disabled. There are also plans in place to encourage employers to release staff to take on this important voluntary role. Information on the number of members under 30 years of age who have left independent monitoring boards in the last five years is shown in the following table. whether they are registered disabled.
| Number of leavers aged under 30 | |
|---|---|
| 30 March 2005 to 29 March 2006 | 9 |
| 30 March 2004 to 29 March 2005 | 5 |
| 30 March 2003 to 29 March 2004 | 10 |
| 30 March 2002 to 29 March 2004 | 13 |
| 30 March 2001 to 29 March 2002 | 7 |
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many governor grade staff in HM Prison Service are in their current appointment as a consequence of (a) open competition and (b) managed moves; and if he will list those in post through managed moves. [62779]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The information requested is not held centrally for all operational manager and senior operational manager appointments (formerly known as governor grades) and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the availability of drugs in the voluntary drug testing unit at each prison. [62781]
Fiona Mactaggart: Prisoners on the voluntary drug testing programme are required to be drug tested 18 times per year. Data on the results of testing regime are not held centrally.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on access to (a) social visits and (b) legal visits in the High Security Unit at HMP Belmarsh. [62785]
Fiona Mactaggart: Visits take place each morning and afternoon in the unit. Four visits are available in each session. There is no division between social and legal visits.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of foreign nationals' access to language line in the segregation unit at HMP Belmarsh. [62786]
Fiona Mactaggart: Access to the language line was first made available in the segregation unit in February 2003. Since then the line has been used on a total of 10 occasions. Despite its limited use, the availability of the line to foreign national prisoners who need such assistance is important.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were imprisoned in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. [63023]
Fiona Mactaggart: Information on the prison population for each year since 1994 can be found in Table 8.1 of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the learn2earn project at HMP Wandsworth; and what plans he has to extend the scheme. [63118]
Fiona Mactaggart: The learn2earn project at Wandsworth prison is delivering much closer links for offenders with the Jobcentre Plus new deal for self employment. Ultimately, the offender produces a self employment action plan in conjunction with local business, who mentor and assess those graduating from business courses at HMP Wandsworth .The Green Paper 'Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment' (December 2005) gave a commitment to explore ways in which the learn2earn project's objectives can be promoted elsewhere, and how self-employment can be better integrated into the curriculum and programmes on offer across the estate.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what scope has been identified for the extension of electronic learning in prisons. [63292]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The scope for the extension of electronic learning in prisons is set out in the 'Offender's Learning Journey'. This document describes the new learning and skills service on offer to offenders and is being trialled in three development regions—north east, north west and south west—before being rolled out in
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the other six English regions. The vision for the future is under consultation through our recently published Green Paper 'Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment', which you will have seen.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons that have a service level agreement. [63293]
Fiona Mactaggart: As from 1 April 2005 all prisons have a service level agreement.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what period a designated failing prison with a service level agreement is given to address its failings before alternative methods of provision are considered. [63295]
Fiona Mactaggart: There is no set time period for failing prisons with a service level agreement to address those failings. The time period allowed will depend on the nature and severity of the failings.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources above those specified in the service level agreement are made available to prisons that are designated as failing. [63296]
Fiona Mactaggart: No additional resources above those in the SLA are made available to prisons designated as failing.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made in the (a) management and (b) regime at HM Prison Woodhill since the last report from the chief inspector of prisons. [63298]
Fiona Mactaggart: Since the chief inspector's last report, there has been a change of governing governor. A number of regime changes have taken place, including a more focused reception procedure; the introduction of listeners into the induction unit; and an increase in purposeful activity. Further changes to the regime will be introduced as Woodhill responds to the various recommendations of the chief inspector.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what processes are used to determine a prison's internal performance rating; what criteria are used in making the assessment; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure the objectivity and fairness of assessment. [63354]
Fiona Mactaggart: The criteria used to determine prison performance ratings include:
the views of Prison Service Area Managers and Management Board, allowing for an assessment of subjective factors, such as decency and commitment to change.
This oversight ensures the objectivity and fairness of assessment.
Mr. Bellingham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research was (a) commissioned and (b) progressed as a result of the
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performance testing exercise at HM prison Wandsworth; what conclusions were drawn; and if he will place the reports in the Library. [63355]
Fiona Mactaggart: No research was commissioned or progressed as a result of the performance testing exercise at Wandsworth prison.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department has made available since March 2005 to (a) Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority, (b) Greater Peterborough primary care partnership and (c) Peterborough and Stamford NHS hospitals foundation trust to take account of the operation of HM prison Peterborough. [52522]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
Funding responsibility for prison healthcare in the publicly run prisons in England and Wales transferred from the Home Office to the Department in April 2003. £118 million was transferred for 2002–03, the figure for 2005–06 was £176 million. Since April, all publicly run prisons will have had their health services commissioned by primary care trusts.
In addition, we have made additional funding available for mental health provision in prisons, which was nearly £20 million in 2005–06. Of this, North Peterborough primary care trust received £166,000 in 2005–06 for the mental health in-reach service in HM prison Peterborough.
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