§ Mr George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what negotiations have taken place between Premier Prison Services Ltd. and the Prison Service since the contract was signed, to alter(a) the catchment areas and (b) the courts from which prisoners are drawn; what decisions were made as a result of those negotiations; and on what dates; [23243]
109W(2) to alter the terms under which particular prisoners can be transferred out of Doncaster; how many prisoners have been transferred under renegotiated terms; for what reason; and on what dates. [23244]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth, dated 2 April 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about what negotiations have taken place between Premier Prison Services Ltd and the Prison Service since the contract was signed to alter (a) the catchment areas; (b) the courts from which prisoners are drawn; and (c) the terms under which particular prisoners can be transferred out of Doncaster. You also asked what decisions were made as a result of those negotiations and how many prisoners have been transferred under renegotiated terms; for what reason and on what dates.There have been no negotiations and no change to the catchment area and therefore no change to the courts from which prisoners are drawn.No change has been made to the transfer arrangements. Doncaster prison is a local prison and its function, as with other local prisons, is to hold prisoners who are remanded into custody and to ensure they are taken to courts in the catchment area for trial purposes. After conviction and sentence Doncaster prisoners, in common with other similar prisoners held in local prisons, are allocated to a training prison establishment, as vacancies arise.
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the complement of full-time and part-time staff by grade employed at Her Majesty's prison, Doncaster on the first day of every month since December 1995; what proportion of the staff costs were met by the Prison Service under the terms of the contract with Premier Prison Services Ltd; and what proportion were met by the company. [23241]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 A. J. Person to Mr. George Howarth, dated 2 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the complement of staff at Doncaster prison.The table below shows the complement of full-time and part-time staff (excluding sub-contractors) employed at Doncaster prison on the first day of each month since December 1995.With the exception of the three Prison Service personnel at Doncaster prison, all staff (excluding sub-contractors) are employed by Premier Prison Services Ltd and funded through the contract fee paid by the Prison Service for the management of Doncaster prison. The deployment of these staff by grade is a matter for the company.
Month Full-time staff Part-time staff December 1995 449 14 January 1996 449 18 February 1996 449 18 March 1996 449 18
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the complement of full-time and part-time staff employed at Her Majesty's prison,110W Doncaster on 20 June 1994; and what was the complement of full and part-time staff by grade on 20 March. [23242]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 2 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about staffing levels at Doncaster prison on 20 June 1994 and 20 March 1996. The complement of full and part-time staff at Doncaster prison was as follows:
Date Full-time staff Part-time staff 20 June 1994 356 0 20 March 1996 449 18 The grading of staff is commercial-in-confidence under the terms of the relevant contract.