Strangeways Riot Trials (Hansard, 1 March 1993)

§ Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the prison staff responsible for security at Manchester crown court were involved in the specifications for the building of the cells, holding and toilet areas to contain the prisoners on trial for the Strangeways riot.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The prison staff responsible for the security at Manchester Crown court were not involved in the specification for the building of the areas used to contain the prisoners on trial for the Strangeways riot.
2W

§ Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on prison staff at the Crown court, Manchester there have been since the trials relating to the Strangeways riot first commenced.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
There have been nine reported incidents of alleged assault on prison staff by defendants in the Strangeways riot trials at Manchester Crown court.

§ Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost of radios, televisions and multigym facilities provided for the five prisoners who recently escaped from Manchester Crown court.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The television was borrowed from the Greater Manchester police. The prison service provided 11 radios at a total cost of £65 and a multigym at a cost of £3,000.
These items were provided for all the prisoners on trial in connection with charges arising from the Manchester prison disturbance. The prisoners concerned were held in police accommodation not designed for this purpose and which did not have normal regime facilities found in prison service establishments.

§ Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions the prison officers were given in respect of confrontation with the prisoners on trial for the riot at Strangeways prison.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The inquiry mounted by the prison service will investigate all circumstances of the escape of five defendants on trial at Manchester Crown court, including any instructions give to prison staff supervising the trial. It would be wrong to comment further while these inquiries are in progress. All prison officers receive training in how to deal with confrontation with prisoners, including the use of force where that is necessary to maintain control.

§ Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the toilet area at Manchester Crown court had been inspected and security arrangements accepted before being handed over to the prison staff prior to the recent escape of five prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The toilet area at Manchester Crown court is part of the original complex built in the 1960s, long before formal arrangements regarding specifications and acceptance of physical security elements of the building were set up between the Home Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department.