| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
25 Nov 2008 : Column 1304W—continued
Prisoners: Transport
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many times taxis have been used to transport prisoners and young offenders to and from each (a) prison and (b) young offenders institution in each of the last five years; [238452]
(2) what the cost of using taxis to transport prisoners and young offenders to and from each (a) prison and (b) young offender institution was in each of the last five years. [238453]
Mr. Hanson: I refer to my answer of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 754W.
Taxis are rarely used for transporting prisoners to and from court or for inter-prison transfers. On occasions they may be used for emergency transport, including hospital admission where an ambulance is not appropriate.
A risk assessment is conducted to ensure that the use of a taxi is appropriate.
The number of occasions taxis are used, and the cost, is not recorded centrally and could be provided by contacting each prison only at a disproportionate cost.
Prisons: Drugs
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the use of mobile telephones to bring drugs into prisons. [238045]
Mr. Hanson: David Blakey CBE QPM DL, a former inspector of constabulary and chief constable of West Mercia was commissioned to review the measures in place to disrupt the supply of drugs into prison. His report was published in July 2008 and the Government are working to implement his recommendations.
Prisons deploy a robust and comprehensive range of security measures to reduce drug supply, including:
passive search dogs, which are available in all prisons, to detect visitors carrying drugs and active search dogs, used to search goods and vehicles. There are 440 search dogs in total;
local searching strategies which comply with the National Security Framework;
strict measures to tackle visitors who smuggle or attempt to smuggle drugs, including—on suspicion of smuggling—‘closed’ visits (i.e. through a glass screen) or visit bans, and arrest and prosecution where there is sufficient evidence;
the criminal process is invoked against visitors and prisoners alike wherever sufficient evidence exists of an attempt to supply. A range of internal sanctions exists for prisoners caught using drugs;
visitor biometric systems in 34 prisons;
CCTV surveillance in most social visits areas and low-level furniture in social visits areas in all category C prisons and above, to make it more difficult to pass drugs;
intelligence systems, including targeted monitoring of telephone traffic through the PIN-phone system;
close working with the police to target serious criminals outside prison who are increasingly involved in supply. Each prison has access to a police liaison officer;
Supply Reduction Good Practice Guide used by all prisons to improve performance. Regular review of the poorer performing prisons by the Director of Operations;
deployment of technology and strategies to detect and disrupt mobile phones, and analysis of recovered handsets and SIM cards (we believe that the most common criminal use of mobile phones is to arrange the supply of illicit drugs);
a Corruption Prevention Unit, and
disciplinary sanctions for positive MDT tests.
Prisons: Elderly
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those detained in HM prisons were (a) men aged over 65 years and (b) women aged over 60 at the latest date for which figures are available. [239443]
Mr. Hanson: At 30 June 2007, there were 1,978 male and 49 female sentenced prisoners aged 60 and over who were detained in prison establishments in England and Wales. Information is only published for the 60 and over category, as opposed to 65 and over.
These figures are taken from table 7.3 in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2007, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library and which can be found at this website:
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisons: Employment
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what recent assessment has been made by the Prison Service of the merits of prisoners being constructively employed; [237753]
(2) what plans he has to ensure that prisoners who are serving long sentences are able to engage in productive work; and if he will make a statement. [237755]
Mr. Hanson: The Prison Service understands the benefits in providing productive employment in prisons for prisoners and there is a constant process of developing and improving work for prisoners.
Significant numbers of prisoners are meaningfully employed on a daily basis in a range of activities. This includes essential work producing a variety of goods for internal consumption and providing in-house services such as catering, cleaning and laundries. This activity not only provides constructive employment but also reduces the cost of imprisonment and has an element of restitution. Prisoner employment in prison also acts as an aid to good order and control and aids resettlement through skills and qualifications.
In addition there are a number of employer partnerships with the private sector that not only provide real employment and training but also the possibility of employment on release. The Prison Service is keen to grow these initiatives so that increasing number of prisoners and society can benefit. In addition to those working in individual prisons and probation areas there is also an existing Corporate Alliance with employers from the private, public and third sectors which informs strategy and delivery.
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on links between the nature of work undertaken by prisoners and (i) employment of prisoners after release and (ii) re-offending rates. [239192]
Mr. Hanson: The Ministry of Justice has commissioned the ‘Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction Survey’ which will examine the nature of prisoners’ work and training in prison and the associations of this with the take up of employment after release and the nature of such employment. When these data are linked with re-offending data from the Police National Computer it will be possible to examine the statistical associations between prison work/training and re-offending. The post-release employment data will be available in the summer of 2009 while the re-offending data will be available in 2010.
In respect of previous findings, a review by the then Department for Education and Skills(1) concluded that prison-based employment interventions were effective in helping offenders gain and retain employment.
There is recognition of the role of employment agencies and employers in helping to secure employment for ex-prisoners in England and Wales. The emerging evidence on basic skills training in prison suggests that these courses can improve prisoners' skills(2).
In terms of international evidence, a United States study examined evaluations of programmes that attempt to augment the educational, vocational, and job skills of adult offenders in both prison and community settings and found that on average, these programmes do reduce re-offending(3). Another study evaluated the impact of prison work and vocational and apprenticeship training on post-prison rates of employment and offending among a study group and a comparison sample matched on a range of factors predictive of participation in the scheme and other demographic and background variables. The study group was 35 per cent. less likely to breach the terms of their supervision or be re-arrested during the first 12 months following release. The study group was also 14 per cent. more likely to be employed(4).
(1) Hurry, J., Brazier L., Parker M, and Wilson A., (2006). Rapid evidence assessment of interventions that promote employment for offenders. London: Department for Education and Skills.
(2) Stewart, D. (2005). An evaluation of basic skills training for prisoners. Home Office Research Findings 260. London: Home Office.
(3) Washington State Institute for Public Policy (2006). Evidence-Based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does Not. Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Available online at:
(4) Saylor, W.G. and Gaes, G.G. (1997) ‘Training inmates through industrial work participation and vocational and apprenticeship instruction’. Corrections Management Quarterly, 1 (2) 32-43
Prisons: Per Capita Costs
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his latest assessment is of the cost of keeping an adult male in prison for 10 years. [237754]
Mr. Hanson:
The overall average resource cost per prisoner in England and Wales in 2007-08 was £39,000 (rounded to nearest £500); for 10 years this would equate to £390,000. A separate figure for adults is not
available. This excludes prisoners held in police and court cells under Operation Safeguard. The figure includes some estimation and is given to the nearest £500. Expenditure met by other Government Departments (eg for health and education) is not included. The prisoner escort service is included.
Prisons: Transport for London
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners in England and Wales are undertaking work for Transport for London. [237588]
Mr. Malik: There are currently no prisoners in England and Wales undertaking work for Transport for London.
Probation: Cambridgeshire
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the flat cash grant allocation is for the Cambridgeshire probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [237756]
(2) what the forecast shortfall is for the flat cash grant allocation Cambridgeshire probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [237757]
(3) what the estimated share of national savings the Cambridgeshire probation area is expected to achieve in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [237758]
(4) how many staff employed by his Department he expects to be lost through (a) natural wastage, (b) retirement and (c) redundancy in the Cambridgeshire probation area during (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12. [237759]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.
Probation: Devon and Cornwall
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the flat cash grant allocation for the Devon and Cornwall probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12 is; [238786]
(2) what estimate he has made of the share of national probation service savings to accrue from the Devon and Cornwall probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [238787]
(3) how many staff he expects the Probation Service to lose through (a) natural wastage, (b) retirement and (c) redundancy from the Devon and Cornwall probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [238788]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry Of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department’s annual report for 2007-08.
Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.
Probation: Essex
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the (a) flat cash grant allocation, (b) forecast shortfall and (c) estimated share is of Probation Service national savings for the Essex probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12; [238047]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of staff who will leave the Probation Service through (a) natural wastage, (b) retirement and (c) redundancy in the Essex probation area in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12. [238048]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.
Probation: Gwent
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what percentage of national probation services savings are expected to be made by the Gwent probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [239006]
(2) what the flat cash grant allocation is for the Gwent probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [239009]
(3) how many staff he estimates will be lost through (a) retirement, (b) redundancy and (c) natural wastage in Gwent probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [239010]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is seeking efficiency savings over the next three years as set out in the Department's annual report for 2007-08.
Funding plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed. As is the case across Government, the National Probation Service will need to make efficiency savings, in this case around 2.5 per cent. next financial year.
The National Offender Management Service is working to determine how the saving can be achieved in ways that protect front line services. The aim is to remove overhead and administration and drive improvement in underperforming or expensive services.
Ultimately, the size and scope of any staffing reductions will rest with the 42 areas and trusts who manage probation business at the local level.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |