§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to sell the site of the former Ashford (Middlesex) remand centre as soon as possible. [8531]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 16 January 1996]: Responsibility for this matter 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. David Wilshire, dated 17 January 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the future of the former Ashford remand centre.The Prison Service is currently considering a number of sites in the London area for a new prison. The site at Ashford is not a preferred option and the Prison Service does not have any current plans to rebuild a prison on the site.However, the anticipated growth in the prison population, particularly in the London area, necessitates the retention of the Ashford site for future possible development should the need arise. The Prison Service is currently in the process of renewing the lease for the site from the Council.