§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of the Risley remand centre.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe future of Risley remand centre is linked with the longer-term strategic plans for local prison accommodation in the north-west. Liverpool and Preston prisons are planned to become local prisons in 1989. We intend that Risley will adopt the role of a local prison as soon as possible thereafter. In the meantime, building work at the establishment will proceed on two fronts. A rolling programe of refurbishment of existing living accommodation has begun and will be completed in autumn 1990. A larger programme of expansion and redevelopment at the establishment is scheduled to start by summer 1989. This will provide new inmate living accommodation with integral sanitation in the cells and better facilities for staff, inmates and visitors. The work is due to be completed in stages between 1991 and 1994.