HC Deb 11 February 1993 vol 218 c1094
1. Mr. Anthony Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in extending contracting out in the prison service.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Peter Lloyd)

From 1 April, the Prison Service agency will assume full responsibility for taking forward Government policy on the involvement of the private sector in the management of prisons. The agency will make recommendations to me later this year.

Mr. Coombs

In warmly welcoming the private management of prisons initiative, may I ask my hon. Friend to extend the initiative to young offender institutions? Given that a third of crime is now committed by people under the age of 17, is not that a strong case for strengthening the network of young offender institutions? Such strengthening could be done by the private sector.

Mr. Lloyd

My hon. Friend is right: young offender institutions are a most important part of the prison service and we need the best standards in them.

It is clear that competition and tendering can bring better management to parts of the prison service, so, undoubtedly, the director general will want to look at that early. At present, we are conducting a tendering exercise for education. The initial signs promise extremely well for the young offender institutions which are so important.

Mr. Soley

Will the new contracted-out private prisons be covered by Crown immunity? If not, will the Minister ensure that Her Majesty's prisons have Crown immunity withdrawn from them so that all prisons can operate on a level playing field?

Mr. Lloyd

What we want is exactly the same playing field for all prisons. I cannot answer the hon. Gentleman's question directly on Crown immunity because I am not sure of the details that it covers. I shall certainly let the hon. Gentleman know. The equal playing field, to use the hon. Gentleman's term, which was the gist of his question, is what we are aiming at.

Mr. Sweeney

Can my hon. Friend confirm that we are engaged in the biggest prison building programme this century? Can he give an assurance that those places will not be wasted and will be put to good use in dealing with miscreants?

Mr. Lloyd

Prison places will be filled not by the prison service but by the courts. It is the largest prison building programme this century. We are almost at the end of it and 18 of the 21 new prisons are open. The last three prisons will open next year. They have improved facilities in the prison service which enables an improvement in the sort of programmes that are so necessary if prisoners are to return to society better able to lead law-abiding lives.