§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total expenditure needed to meet each of the Prison Service's three projections for the required number of prison places, in each year until 2005; if he will give the figures at constant real terms cost per prison place; and if he will make a statement. [53341]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Prison Service has not based its expenditure projections on any one of the three population scenarios. The Comprehensive Spending Review settlement, which includes £179 million over the period to complete the programme for increasing capacity, provides the Service with a realistic plan for coping with rising numbers over the period.
But, as recent experience has shown, it is very difficult to forecast trends precisely several years ahead. It is expected that the policies that we are pursuing to increase public confidence in community-based punishment will have an impact on population trends by the end of the period.
The Comprehensive Spending Review covers only the years 1999–2002 and the forecasts of cost per uncrowded place only over that period.
The Comprehensive Spending Review Settlement provides for a real terms cost per uncrowded place' increase of 0.9 per cent. over the three years. Expressed as a year-on-year basis, this represents a 1.7 per cent. increase in the first year (1999–2000); a 0.2 per cent. reduction in the second year (2000–01) and a 0.6 per cent. reduction in the third year (2001–02).
The costs per uncrowded prison place underlying these percentages at 1992–93 prices (the year used by the Prison Service against which to measure its Key Performance Indicators, as this was the year before it became an agency) are listed with the equivalent figures at 1998–99 prices:
£ 1992–93 prices 1998–99 prices 1999–2000 20,540 23,986 2000–01 20,498 23,937 2001–02 20,379 23,798 1 Figures do not include costs or places of prisons designed, constructed, managed and financed (DCMF) by the private sector
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the need for extra(a) prison places and (b) prisons in each of the next 831W three years; what is the planned spending per prison place over the next three years; and what is the expected capital spending on prisons over the next three years. [53338]
§ Mr. George HowarthResources are in place to increase the operational capacity of the prison estate by a further 4,500 places over the next three financial years.
The building programme will deliver 1,350 places in 1998–99 and 550 in 1999–2000 in the form of houseblocks and cell reclamation places at existing prisons.
New prisons will provide an additional 1,200 places in 1999–2000 and 1,400 places in 2000–01.
The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) settlement provides for a real terms cost per uncrowded place1 increase of 0.9 per cent. over the three years of the CSR. Expressed as a year-on-year basis this represents a 1.7 per cent. increase in the first year (1999–2000); a 0.2 per cent. reduction in the second year (2000–01); and a 0.6 per cent. reduction in the third year (2001–02).
The CSR settlement provides, in real terms at 1998–99 prices, capital expenditure for the Prison Service of £150 million (1999–2000), £131 million (2000–01) and £130 million (2001–02).
1 Figures do not include costs or places of prisons designed, constructed, managed and financed (DCMF) by the private sector.
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Comprehensive Spending Review, if he will provide a breakdown of the total amount of extra funding which will be allocated to(a) prison places and (b) rehabilitation and other programmes in prison, in each of the next three years, in real terms; and if he will make a statement. [53340]
§ Mr. George HowarthIn the three years from 1999–2002, the Prison Service will spend an extra £62 million (1999–2000), £54 million (2000–01) and £54 million, in real terms at 1998–99 prices, on prison places.
In the three years from 1999–2002, the Prison Service will spend an extra £72 million (1999–2000), £60 million (2000–01) and £70 million (2001–02), in real terms at 1998-99 prices, on rehabilitation and other programmes in prison. These funds are in addition to the previous Government's planned expenditure for the Prison Service.