§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of replacing the locks at HM prison Blakenhurst; and what factors prompted their replacement. [21000]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter 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 20 March 1997:
838WThe Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the replacement of locks at Blakenhurst prison.The decision was taken to re-lock the prison on the basis of intelligence received that the security of the prison may have been compromised. The full cost of the relocking is the subject of negotiations between the Prison Service and the contractor.