Mr. Thorn CrossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a week are spent by prisoners at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution, Cheshire, on education, community work, preparation for employment and work to change offending behaviour; and how this compares with time spent on similar activities at other young offenders institutions. [66248]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Prison Service does not record separately the time spent on all of the activities listed.
For the financial year 1998–99 to the end of December, the average weekly time spent in education by prisoners at Thorn Cross was 13.2 hours. This compares with an average across all young offender institutions of 5.9 hours.
This includes daytime education, vocational training courses, construction and industrial training courses and evening education classes.
The average weekly time spent on total purposeful activities at Thorn Cross for the same period was 49.3 hours. The average for all young offender institutions was 22.0 hours.
Total purposeful activity includes education, training, employment in prisoner enterprise service workshops, employment in prison farms, gardens, kitchens and messes, cleaning and domestic work in the prison, resettlement and rehabilitation activity and physical education.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost for each place on the high-intensity training pilot scheme at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution, Cheshire. [66250]
§ Mr. George Howarth£22,700 per year.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner at a young offenders' institution. [66244]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which are in the Library, provide information on the average annual cost per place by establishment type, however, this includes establishment costs only and excludes Prison Service headquarters overheads. The average annual net operating cost per place in a young offender institution for 1997–98 was £18,400.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis prisoners are selected for a place on the high-intensity training pilot scheme at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution, Cheshire. [66249]
§ Mr. George HowarthYoung offenders are considered on the basis of applications made by the young offender himself or on the recommendation of his probation officer, personal officer, court or family. Applicants must be category D prisoners suitable for open conditions. Those serving sentences for sexual offences, offences against children or offences involving serious violence are not eligible. Applicants must have a sufficient period of their sentence remaining to enable them to complete the course before release. Those applicants who meet these criteria are interviewed and assessed by a team of staff408W from Thorn Cross, which includes a psychologist, to identify those with the greatest potential to benefit from the high-intensity training scheme.