§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales that are now being considered by his Department for possible privatisation.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the prison service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
13WLetter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 1 November 1993:
PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN PRISONS
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the prisons in England and Wales that are now being considered for possible privatisation.On 2 September 1993 the Home Secretary announced that 10 per cent. of prisons, about 12, are to be managed by the private sector. This total includes the two already operated by the private sector, the new prison at Doncaster, which is due to open next year, and the six new prisons the building of which was announced on 6 October. About three prisons currently managed directly by the Prison Service will therefore need to be brought under private sector management following a market testing programme. As indicated at the time of the September policy announcement, no decision has yet been taken on which prisons will be market tested.