HC Deb 22 May 1996 vol 278 cc246-7W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications were made to undertake rehabilitation courses at Her Majesty's prison, Maidstone per month since April 1993; [30209]

(2) what has been the number of available places on rehabilitation courses at Her Majesty's prison, Maidstone per month since April 1993. [30210]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for these matters 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 22 May 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about (i) the number of available places and (ii) the number of applications to undertake rehabilitation courses at Her Majesty's Prison Maidstone per month since April 1993. This information is not available in the form requested. Sixteen places are provided monthly for prisoners on the sex offender treatment core programme. Records are not kept of how many applications have been received for the sex offender treatment core programme. Since April 1993, 60 prisoners have attended the core programme and 81 have attended the extended programme. There are currently 38 prisoners waiting for a place on the core programme and 113 for the extended programme. Records are not kept of how many applications have been received for the social skills course. This course lasts for two weeks and has 12 prisoners. In 1993 there were two courses; one in 1994; four in 1995; and so far in 1996 there has been one course, with three more planned. The group work programme, which is run by the probation department in the prison, started in September 1995. There are an average of two groups running per month, which offer 8–10 places per group. There have been 912 applications for places on these groups. Since September 1995, 12 groups have run involving 108 prisoners. One-to-one counselling sessions are run by the probation and psychology departments in the prison and by outside drug counsellors. Occasional courses on problem drinking, anger management and on relationships are also run. No record is kept of the number of applications for these sessions.

Mr. Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) parole applications and (b) successful parole applications were made at Her Majesty's prison, Maidstone in each month since April 1993. [30208]

Miss Widdecombe

The information requested is not available centrally.