§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what parts of Risley remand centre, Warrington are affected by the use of high alumina cement; how long the building works will take; what is their estimated cost; how many males and females will be moved to other prison establishments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe answer to the first part of the question is "None". Remedial work, the present estimated cost of which is £350,000, will, however, be necessary to a number of buildings, principally the hospital. The timing of this work, and its implications for transfers to other establishments, are still under consideration.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reduce, on a permanent basis, the number of males and females, adults and young 415W persons, being remanded to Risley remand centre, Warrington.
§ Mr. WhitelawI am preparing plans to relieve the overcrowding at Risley remand centre of the male population aged 17 and above by reducing, on a permanent basis, the number of courts it serves. With regard to females, there is no suitable alternative establishment to which courts could be directed to remand women, but measures are being taken to transfer sentenced women more quickly from Risley to training establishments in order to relieve overcrowding.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to expand Risley remand centre, Warrington to take more males and females, adults and young persons.
§ Mr. WhitelawNone.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the recommended ideal number of males and females, adult and young persons, that should be detained in Risley remand centre, Warrington;
(2) what is the recommended maximum number, and absolute maximum number, respectively, of males and females, adults and young persons, that should be detained in Risley remand centre, Warrington; and on how many days in the last three months the absolute maximum number of males and females, adult and young persons, has been exceeded.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe current certified normal accommodation for Risley is 565 males and 85 females. Adults and persons under 21 years are kept apart but there is flexibility in the allocation of accommodation for them. The maximum numbers that can be held at any establishment are dependent on a variety of factors of which the amount of accommodation is only one. The maximum number that can be accommodated at Risley is currently 933 males and 187 females; at no time during the three months up to 31 January 1980 has the population exceeded these figures.