§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names of those companies who have won contracts to run court or prison escort services; and what was the cost of those contracts in each case.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison2W Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about companies who have won contracts to run court or prison escort services and the cost of the contracts.Four contracts have been awarded for prisoner escort and custody services. The names of the contractors and the estimated cost of the contracts over five years at time of award, are as follows:
- Area 3—Securicor Custodial Services Ltd:
- £96 million
- Area 4—Group 4 Court Services Ltd:
- £47 million
- Area 6—Group 4 Court Services Ltd:
- £69 million
- Area 7—Group 4 Court Services Ltd:
- £41 million
The cost of the contracts for Areas 3 and 7, which are already in operation is 25 per cent below the cost of previous arrangements. This represents a saving of £10 million a year. The cost of the contracts for Areas 4 and 6 is estimated to be 15 per cent below the cost of previous arrangements. This represents a saving of £13 million a year.
§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the companies which have won contracts to run contracted-out prison establishments; and what was the cost of those contracts in each case.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. George Howarth, dated 20 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the companies who have won contracts to run contracted out prisons and the cost of the contracts.Four contracts have been awarded for contracted out prisons. The names of the contractors and the estimated cost of the contracts over five years at time of award, are as follows:
- Wolds Prison—Group 4 Remand Services Ltd:
- £21.5 million
- Blakenhurst Prison—UK Detention Services Ltd:
- £57 million
- Doncaster Prison—Premier Prison Services Ltd:
- £66 million
- Buckley Hall Prison—Group 4 Prison Services Ltd:
- £33 million
The cost of these prisons is 15–25 per cent below the cost of comparable public sector establishments. This represents a saving of £5 million a year from the four prisons already under private management.