HC Deb 02 February 1996 vol 270 cc967-8W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what have been(a) the allocations and (b) the sums actually spent on maintenance on (i) the Camp Hill residential estate, (ii) Parkhurst residential estate and (iii) Albany residential estate on the Isle of Wight for the last five years. [11749]

(2) what has been the annual budget for the last five years for (a) maintenance on prison officers residential estates and (b) for residential estates where the Home Office retains a liability. [11748]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Barry Field, dated 2 February 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about expenditure on the maintenance of Prison Service and former Prison Service residential estates. In particular, the estates adjacent to Camp Hill, Parkhurst and Albany prisons on the Isle of Wight. Information on the annual expenditure by each establishment on the maintenance and repair of Prison Service residential quarters and estates is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, information is available on the expenditure over the last five years (1990–91 to 1995–96) for Camp Hill, Parkhurst and Albany residential estates. Total expenditure during that period on maintenance and repair for roads, pavements, paths, sewers/drains, street lighting and verges has been as follows:-

  • Camp Hill: £5,750 (including £4,300 in respect of street lighting supply and maintenance).
  • Parkhurst: £55,680 (including £41,405 on maintenance of retained quarters).
  • Albany: £7,370 (this was in respect of street lighting supply and maintenance).
The average expenditure on maintenance is in the region of £750 per annum for each quarter, or about £1.5m per annum in total. Actual expenditure will vary between establishments and would include an element for improvements in many cases. Establishments do not have a formal allocation of funds for this purpose and expenditure is met from their local building and repair fund. With regard to former prison officers' quarters estates where there are unadopted roads and street lighting, most of the properties have been sold, either to prison officers or to private owner/occupiers. Owners are responsible for paying a fair proportion of any expenditure on repairs or maintenance of the private roads and footpaths and the cost of street lighting. The Prison Service has the same liability for the properties which are still owned.