HC Deb 23 March 1990 vol 169 cc794-5W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase the number of vulnerable prisoner units.

Mr. Mellor

An additional unit planned at Wayland prison will hold 96 prisoners and is expected to be in operation in June. The unit at Channings Wood prison is being extended to double its capacity to 112. The extension is due to be completed by the end of this year.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will(a) list the national and regional vulnerable prisoner units and (b) state their current capacity and occupancy levels.

Mr. Mellor

The information is as follows:

Prison Capacity Occupancy at 16 March 1990
National VPUs
Channings Wood 56 56
Maidstone 102 102
Wakefield 19 17
Regional VPUs
Albany 149 147
Bristol 62 61
Dartmoor 151 149
Gartree 15 15
Rochester 67 67
Stafford 46 46

In addition, a wing of Littlehey prison, not referred to as a vulnerable prisoner unit, houses prisoners formerly segregated under rule 43. Capacity is 112 and occupancy at 16 March 1990 was 112.