§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently in police cells(a) in each police station in England and Wales and (b) in each division of the Metropolitan police; and how many there were in (a) and (b), (i) one year ago, (ii) five years ago, (iii) 10 years ago and (iv) 15 years ago. [21608]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 1 May 1995]: Responsibility 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 Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 4 May 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners currently held in police cells in each police station in England and Wales; in each division of the Metropolitan Police and the number held one year aged, 5 years ago, 10 years ago and 15 years ago.The information you requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Police forces are only required to provide the Prison Service with daily returns showing the total number of prisoners being held in police cells. Over the last 18 months the use of police cells has been confined to the north of England. The information about the number of prisoners held in police cells submitted by the police forces concerned over the last 18 months is contained in the attached table.301W
Location of prisoners held in police cells on 25 April 1994 and 25 April 1995 Police station Number of prisoners 25 April 1994 Greater Manchester Central Detention Centre 28 Collyhurst 5 Crescent 4 Mottram 7 Astley Bridge 7 Bolton 15 Ashton I M 2 Wigan 11 Stretford 12 Trafford 12 Bury 7 302W
Location of prisoners held in police cells on 25 April 1994 and 25 April 1995 Police station Number of prisoners Littleborough 11 Rochdale 72 Oldham 8 Merseyside Main Bridewell 41 Crosby 12 Kirkby 12 Stanley Road 12 St. Helens 11 Lancashire Blackpool 8 Preston 9 West Yorkshire Eccleshill 10 Toiler Lane 13 South Yorkshire Bridge Street 8 Northumbria Gillbridge Avenue 16 25 April 1995 Greater Manchester Central Detention Centre 50 Bootle Street 6 Collyhurst 5 Platt Lane 4 Crescent 6 Mottram 5 Astley Bridge 5 Bolton 5 Leigh 7 Wigan 15 Stretford 10 Trafford 14 Bury 7 Whitefield 4 Littleborough 6 Middleton 5 Rochdale 9 Merseyside Kirkby 8 Crosby 8 St. Helens 10 Wallasey 8 Lancashire Morecambe 8 Blackpool 18 Preston 18 Skelmersdale 6 West Yorkshire Halifax 7 Huddersfield 12 Eccleshill 12 Toiler Lane 15 Leeds 18
Location of prisoners held in police cells on 25 April 1994 and 25 April 1995 Police station Number of prisoners Cheshire Congleton 7 Wilmslow 2 Crewe 6
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the cost of keeping a prisoner in a police cell, giving the proportion of the total spent on police officers. [21709]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 1 May 1995]: Responsibility 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 Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 4 May 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the breakdown of the cost of keeping a prisoner in a police cell.The average cost per night of keeping a prisoner in a police cell in 1994 was £250. A breakdown of this figure is given below:
£ Police officer costs 197 Civilian staff costs 8 Police support costs (travelling and subsistence) 16 Prisoner support costs (food, laundry, medical) 13 Administrative costs 12 Other costs (including nominal accommodation charge and prisoners' recreation 4