§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the prison department made available for sale the former HM prison Medomsley; how the sale particulars are described; what is the asking price; how much money has been spent on this establishment in each of the past five years; what have been its previous usages; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 15 April 1993:
Former HM Prison Medomsley
I have been asked by the Home Secretary to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the former HM Prison Medomsley.The property was placed on the market for sale as being surplus to requirements in December 1990 with Agents, Messrs Chesterton of Newcastle, and is described in the sale particulars as a 35 acre site with the opportunity for refurbishment or development. The property is offered for sale by private treaty and offers are invited. No purchase price has been quoted but the Agents are advising that offers should be in excess of £500,000.The establishment formerly operated as a Detention Centre for Young Offenders until early 1987. It was then used temporarily as a Category C Prison for male adults until closing in November 1987. There has since been some occasional use for Control and Restraint training.The expenditure in each of the past five years, mainly on skeleton staff and essential maintenance, was as follows:
£K 1988–89 53 1989–90 47 1990–91 22 1991–92 20 1992–93 nil I hope this is helpful.