§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each prison, including those which are privately managed(a) the projected budget in monetary terms, (b) the percentage change and (c) the change in staffing levels for each financial year between 1996–97 and 1999–2000, inclusive. [10296]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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. George Howarth, dated 25 January 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for the budget allocation and staffing levels for each prison establishment for each financial year 1996–97 and 1992–2000.The process of setting budgets for public sector establishments for 1996–97 is not yet complete. I will send you details of budgets once they are finished.Governors are in the process of working out staffing projections for their establishments in 1996–97. I will send you their estimates once governors have had the opportunity to discuss them with their staff locally. I will also send you the provision made for payments to private sector prisons for 1996–97. These are not exactly the same as cash-limited budgets, as the terms of the contract may trigger additional payments in some circumstances.308WWe do not at present have budget figures at establishment level more than one year ahead. But later this year we shall be issuing indicative spending figures for the years 1997–98 to 1998–99.