§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the accommodation used for sleeping prisoners in association rooms, classrooms, storerooms, visiting rooms, a library, offices, a dormitory floor, hospital annexe and a corridor had been properly certified and numbered or marked in a conspicuous position with the number or mark by which it is identified in the certificates as required by prison standing orders; if not, why not; and on whose authority and for what reasons the order was not complied with;
(2) if he his satisfied that he has discharged his responsibilities under section 14(2) of the Prison Act 1952 and rule 23 of the prison rules 1964 is accommodating prisoners in association rooms, classrooms, storerooms, washrooms, a 515W library, office and dormitory floor, hospital annexes and a corridor; and if not. why not; and on whose authority deviations from the prison rules were permitted.
§ Mr. WhitelawI regret that on occasions some inmates have temporarily to sleep in accommodation not certified for the purpose. This usage, for which I take full responsibility, is a matter of necessity arising from the obligation of governors to receive those committed to their custody by the courts in circumstances of overcrowding. I am satisfied that prison staff do all they can to maintain humane conditions for those affected.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners it was intended should be accommodated in each prison of England and Wales: and how many prisoners were in fact accommodated there at the latest date for which figures are available in each case.
§ Mr. BrittanOn 30 April 1980 the certified normal accommodation and population for each prison in England and Wales was asfollows:
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CNA Population MALES Remand Centres Ashford 400 462 Brockhill 177 236 Cardiff 67 108 Exeter 44 53 Latchmere House 128 181 Low Newton 160 292 Norwich 60 62 Pucklechurch 115 100 Risley 565 693 Thorp Arch 101 172 Winchester 66 99 Local Prisons Bedford 169 300 Birmingham 596 1,003 Bristol 583 630 Brixton 696 975 Canterbury 246 366 Cardiff 273 427 Dorchester 155 234 Durham 669 1,038 Exeter 289 400 Gloucester 193 321 Leeds 612 1,107 Leicester 204 412 Lewes 352 451 Lincoln 356 615 Liverpool 1,016 1,608 Manchester 939 1,428 Norwich 227 373 Oxford 137 287 Pentonville 876 1,146 Reading 50 43 Shrewsbury 170 256
Swansea 227 307 Wandsworth 1,247 1,512 Winchester 411 604 Wormwood Scrubs 1,054 1,492 FEMALES Askham Grange 137 162 Cookham Wood 56 55 Drake Hall 150 183 Durham 39 38 East Sutton Park 20 21 Holloway 253 399 Low Newton 23 43 Moor Court 76 98 Pucklechurch 56 76 Risley 85 175 Styal 204 212 Closed Prisons Acklington 213 211 Albany 294 292 Aylesbury 295 309 Blundeston 418 413 Camp Hill 468 438 Castington 78 60 Channings Wood 316 299 Coldingley 296 256 Dartmoor 550 545 Erlestoke 205 195 Exeter 45 47 Featherstone 484 470 Gartree 215 130 Grendon 294 159 Haverigg 520 530 Highpoint 301 278 Hull 318 273 Kingston 140 132 Lancaster 153 228 Long Lartin 350 337 Maidstone 543 524 Northallerton 143 214 Northeye 345 339 Norwich 104 106 Nottingham 207 266 Onley 420 342 Parkhurst 338 259 Preston 427 587 Ranby 488 472 Reading 119 206 Shepton Mallet 162 247 Stafford 536 789 Standford Hill 177 173 Swinfen Hall 182 177 Verne 618 513 Wakefield 798 713 Wymott 816 570 Open Prisons Appleton Thorn 316 347 Ashwell 400 415 Ford 528 523 Kirkham 608 479 Leyhill 331 319 Rudgate 378 352 Spring Hill 200 190 Standford Hill 357 352 Sudbury 384 372
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the prison population is currently sharing cells, two and three to a cell.
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§ Mt. BrittanAbout 38 per cent.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the ratio of prisoners to integral toilet facilities in each of the prisons in the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to improve the sanitary provisions within prisons.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information requested is not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. Work in progress will provide some 3,300 new places having integral sanitation or continuous ready access to toilet facilities. The designs for all new prisons will include such facilities.