HC Deb 17 January 1986 vol 89 cc715-6W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to end the routine use of police cells to hold remand prisoners.

Mr. Mellor

Police cells are used to accommodate only those prisoners for whom places cannot be found in the appropriate establishments because of industrial action, transport or logistical difficulties or because of a mismatch of prisoners and places causing overloading of one part of the prison system. We do riot accept that police cells are used as a matter of routine.