§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners were held in police stations in Greater Manchester on 22 January; what were the comparable numbers over the last two years; how many are being held in police cells in adjacent police forces; what progress is being made to phase out Operation Container; and when he now expects it to end.
§ Mr. Peter LloydOn 22 January, 202 prisoners were held in police stations in Greater Manchester. Figures for prisoners held by Greater Manchester police since April 1990 are given in the table, together with the national figures.
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Date Number of prisoners held by Greater Manchester police All forces 1 April 1990 0 0 1 August 1990 329 790 12 December 1990 283 814 1 April 1991 245 835 1 August 1991 169 1,150 1 December 1991 217 1,677 1 April 1992 271 1,825 1 August 1992 244 1,065 1 December 1992 210 367 On 22 January, Merseyside police held 28 prisoners and Lancashire police held six prisoners.
The number of prisoners held nationally on 29 January (the latest date for which figures are available) was 166, of which 161 were held by the Greater Manchester police and five by the Merseyside police. This represents a dramatic improvement in the national police cells position, although the burden on the Greater Manchester police continues. The reduction of the number in police cells to the current level has involved transferring large numbers of sentenced prisoners from the area to establishments elsewhere in the north and Midlands. The next step will involve substantial movement of prisoners awaiting trial although the prison service recognises that this would affect other criminal justice agencies. It is therefore not yet possible to say exactly when Operation Container will be closed, but the prison service hopes to reach that position in the near future.