§ 9. Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what future housing projects are planned for married officers' accommodation at Wandsworth Prison.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe construction of eight 4-bedroom houses will begin in the coming financial year. Longer-term requirements are being kept under review.
§ Mr. CoxI welcome that reply. I am sure that the hon. and learned Gentleman is aware that the accommodation proposed is totally inadequate for the needs of married officers at the prison. Therefore, as a matter of urgency, would he seek to develop further projects which could be submitted to the prison governor and the local prison officers association, because this matter is giving great concern to them, especially as they hope to see a substantial increase in staff in the very near future? Unless accommodation is available, staff recruitment will be seriously curtailed.
§ Mr. CarlisleA feasibility study is in hand to provide, by way of redevelopment, 176 married quarters, in the form of maisonettes or houses, but it is unlikely that work will start on that project for a few years yet. Regarding the immediate position, as the hon. Gentleman knows, it has been possible to buy houses on the open market, and my advice is that at present there is no urgent demand for more quarters, other than those I have mentioned.