§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if be will make a statement on the escape from High Point prison, Suffolk of the two prisoners on 25 May.
§ Mr. BrittanOn 25 May two Category D prisoners absconded from an outside working party at High Point prison. I am satisfied that the level of supervision on this occasion was appropriate to Category D prisoners (i.e. those who can reasonably be trusted to serve their sentences in open conditions), and that the abscond does not reveal any serious security weakness. Both prisoners have since been recaptured.
§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of the numbers of prisoners who have escaped from High Point Prison since it was opened, indicating the names of each escapee, the crime and the length of sentence he was serving, whether he was recaptured, and what further punishment, was imposed as a result of his escaping.
§ Mr. BrittanThree Category C prisoners escaped from within High Point prison in July 1977, shortly before it was formally opened. Three Category D prisoners have absconded from working parties outside the prison since then. I shall write to my hon. Friend about the personal details requested.