HC Deb 14 November 2001 vol 374 c781W
Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisons operate welfare-to-work programmes. [13963]

Beverley Hughes

Currently, 11 establishments are delivering the Prison Service's welfare-to-work programme. They are: Cardiff. Deerbolt, Glen Parva, Guys Marsh, Lancaster Farms, Moorland, New Hall, Onley, Portland, Stoke Heath and Usk.

A number of other establishments provide similar prerelease programmes, often in partnership with voluntary sector organisations. For example, the Foundation Training Company delivers an employment training programme at Feltham, Chelmsford, Hollesley Bay, Highpoint and Norwich. The New Bridge provides a careers advice and jobfinding service in 17 establishments. The Headstart pre-release programme operates at Thorn Cross, Hindley and Risley. All of these programmes are geared to helping more prisoners into employment or the new deal on release as a contribution of reducing re-offending.

Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners have successfully completed the welfare to work programme in each year since its introduction. [13962]

Beverley Hughes

The Prison Service welfare-to-work programme began in April 1998. The available information on prisoners starting and successfully completing the programme is shown in the table.

Number of prisoners:
Period Starting the

programme

 Successfully

completing

the

programme

 Percentage of

prisoners

successfully

completing the

programme
April 1998 to March 1999 2,428 1,625 67
April 1999 to March 2000 2,475 1,944 79
April 2000 to March 2001 1,766 1,476 84
April 2001 to September 2001 1,151 712 62