§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of the prison population in England and Wales is currently held in(a)secure prisons and (b) open prisons and related establishments; [14001]
(2) how many prisoners are currently held in open prisons and related establishments. [14003]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answers 12 February 1996]: 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. Archy Kirkwood, dated 13 February 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about how many prisoners are currently held in open prisons and related establishments; and what proportion of the prison population in England and Wales is currently held in (a) secure prisons and (b) open prisons and related establishments.On 7 February 1996 the prison population in England and Wales was 52,437. On that date 48,630 prisoners, representing 92.7% of the total population, were held in closed establishments and 3,807, 7.3% of the population, in open establishments.