§ Mr. BurgonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish guidance to local planning authorities on the need for them to make adequate provision for prisons in their development plans. [31935]
§ Mr. CabornMy Department has today published a Circular entitled "Planning for Future Prison Development". This Circular provides advice to local planning authorities on the need to make adequate provision through the planning system for new prison developments. It considers the issues which need to be taken into account in selecting suitable locations for prisons and sets out the approach whereby the provision of sites can be taken forward through the development plans system. Given that the ongoing programme of prison development is a matter of national importance, this Circular constitutes guidance of the sort envisaged in paragraph 11 of the recently published Policy Statement "Modernising Planning".
This Circular recognises that there will be a continuing need for new prison development in the foreseeable future and encourages local planning authorities to recognise that the provision of land for the secure accommodation of prisoners is an obligation the Prison Service shares with society at large. However, the Circular does not impose 332W any new duties on local planning authorities or others: it simply sets out how the Prison Service and individual authorities may best work together for the common good.