§ 66. Mr. Danceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the provision of overnight accommodation for women remanded at West Midland courts for more than one night nearer to those courts, thereby freeing police, probation officers and prison staff who at present have to escort such women between the West Midlands and Holloway Prison.
§ Mr. CallaghanIt is in general more economical in staff and accommodation to continue to send women remand prisoners to Holloway than retain them in the Midlands prisons, although accommodation is available at Shrewsbury prison for detention overnight during trial, and another will soon be ready at Birmingham prison.
§ 67. Mr. Danceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that since the closure of the women's section of the Brockhill Remand Centre, Birmingham, solicitors have to travel to London to interview women prisoners at Holloway Prison; and what is his estimate of the increased charge on the Legal Aid System resulting from this.
§ Mr. CallaghanI have no exact information about the additional legal aid costs incurred since the closure, but I estimate that they may be of the order of£250.