§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average daily cost of holding a prisoner in a police cell is. [141642]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 3 December 2003]As part of Operation Safeguard it was necessary during 2002 to hold prisoners in police cells because there was insufficient space in prisons.
There is an on-going arrangement with many police forces under which prisoners may be held in police cells under separate arrangements known as "lock-outs". Lock-outs occur when prisoners cannot be delivered to the receiving prison before its reception closes. This 237W arrangement is sometimes used to facilitate the return of prisoners to court the next day or when a court hearing extends into the evening.
The average daily cost of holding a prisoner in a police cell during 2002 was 363 per person per night. The average daily cost for lock-outs is currently 120 per person per night.
The overall cost of holding prisoners in police cells in 2002 under Operation Safeguard was £10.4 million. This ran between 11 July and 20 December 2002. The overall cost for lock-outs was £1.356 million.
No prisoners have been held under Operation Safeguard so far in 2003. There have been a total of 945 prisoners held in police cells so far this year as "lock-outs". In addition, eight prisoners were held in police cells in the Greater Manchester area on the weekend of 7–8 June 2003 as an emergency measure.