HC Deb 13 May 1993 vol 224 cc933-4
13. Mr. Spellar

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of prisons and the transport of prisoners by private security firms.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Private sector involvement in the Prison Service is designed to improve standards across the whole prison system.

Mr. Spellar

Has the Minister any comment on the death of Mr. Hogg in custody? Has he any comments on the use of untrained drivers by Group 4? What qualifications has Group 4 for the job, apart from its association with the chairman of the Conservative party? Can the Minister further confirm whether the Metropolitan police have been instructed not to tender for certain categories of jobs such as the transfer of prisoners in London? When will he drop the prejudice, sack Group 4 and let the job be undertaken by the professionals?

Mr. Lloyd

I will not say anything about Mr. Hogg other than that I regret very much—as does Group 4—his death, which is being investigated by the police and by the Prison Service. The hon. Gentleman has referred to Group 4. Its escorts have been conveying a thousand prisoners a week for the past six weeks, after a very unfortunate start —I accept that—for everyone but the cartoonists and the knee-jerk reactionaries on the Opposition Benches, when Group 4 lost eight prisoners in the first three weeks, of whom three at least did not escape due to its error. Group 4 has been doing its difficult and demanding job with increasing efficiency. Last year in that area the police and the Prison Service lost at least 30 prisoners, so Group 4 has a long way to go in losing prisoners before it catches up with the public sector. [Interruption.]

Madam Speaker

Order.

Mr. Lloyd

Opposition Members should restrain their laughter and note that Group 4 is releasing up to 150 highly trained police officers for operational duties in the public interest. Group 4 ought to continue and make a success of its work; only the anti-private sector vendetta of Opposition Members would be served by the cancellation of its contract.