§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1), pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newark (Mrs. Jones) of 1 June 1998,Official Report, columns 50–51, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) in-cell televisions and (b) prisoners who will have access to in-cell televisions when in-cell television has been extended more generally across the prison service; [44612]
(2) if he will list the prisons in which in-cell television is not to be made available; [44605]
(3) if any prisoners who are not on drug-free wings of prisons will have in-cell television made available to them following the increased availability of in-cell television; [44613]
(4) what criteria will be used in determining the availability of in-cell television to prisoners on the standard privilege level; [44608]
(5) what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners on the standard privilege level who will have access to in-cell television when in-cell television has been extended more generally across the prison system. [44606]
§ Ms QuinAll prisons will in due course provide in-cell television as an earned privilege but its extension will be gradual and monitored closely. The Prison Service will be deciding by August which local schemes should be implemented this financial year and will take account of early experience before deciding which schemes should be implemented next financial year.
The option of in-cell television will initially be targeted on prisoners on the enhanced privilege level or in other priority groups, such as those who are "drug free".
The future numbers of in-cell televisions and prisoners with access to them will depend on early experience of the policy which will be closely monitored.
The procurement exercise is based on approximately 20,000 sets over a contract period of three to five years.