§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the prison health care centre in Liverpool has entered into a commercial cleaning contract. [155248]
§ Paul GogginsThere is no commercial contract for cleaning in the health care centre at Liverpool prison.
§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many suicides there have been in safe cells in each of the last two years; [151687]
(2) what estimate he has made of the average costs of a suicide in prison; [151688]
(3) what plans he has to change the design of safe cell units; [151689]
(4) what consultatons his Department has had with suppliers of safe cell units. [151691]
§ Paul GogginsSafer cells have several design features which can assist staff in the task of managing those at risk from suicide, such as specially designed furniture and fixtures which are manufactured and installed to make the attachment of ligatures very difficult, and access to window bars prevented via non-opening windows with integral ventilation grills. Realistically, no cell can be considered totally 'safe' and the Prison Service's preferred terminology is 'safer cell.' Safer cells can complement (but not replace) a regime providing care for at risk prisoners.
The Prison Service employs the term 'self-inflicted death' rather than 'suicide.' This includes all those deaths where it appears the person may have acted specifically to take his/her own life. In 2002, of the 95 self-inflicted deaths in prisons, four occurred in safer cells. In 2003, of the 94 self-inflicted deaths in prisons, three occurred in safer cells. In 2004 to date (28 January), of the 10 self-inflicted deaths in prison, one has occurred in a safer cell.
459WAn independent evaluation of safer cells, carried out by the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science in 2003, including interviews with prisoners and staff, revealed that the ventilation design in safer cells may require revision. Otherwise, the Institute concluded that the safer cells programme has much to commend it, and recommended that the programme continue. Three prisoners stated to evaluators that being in a safer cell had prevented them from killing themselves.
The Prison Service is already looking into alternative safer ventilator designs to meet the report's finding. In those cases where ligature points have been identified in particular types of safer cells, remedial action has been taken and guidance issued to prisons. Also, funding has been agreed to progress the design and production of second generation safer cell furniture, building on the original safer cell furniture design, and by using mass production techniques reducing costs and enhancing robustness.
The competition for the framework agreement for the supply and installation of safer cell furniture was procured under European Union rules. A notice was issued in the Official Journal of the European Community in June 2001. Nine companies responded to the Notice, and five were subsequently short-listed to receive the tender documentation. Tenderers' responses were evaluated, both commercially and technically to see which offered overall best value for money, three companies being awarded the framework agreement. Those companies were: MT Hogjaard, Premier Custodial Group Ltd. and Newcastle Joinery Ltd. Premier Custodial Group Ltd. have subsequently withdrawn from the framework. The framework agreement was for a period of twelve months commencing on 23 January 2003. The framework
460W
Table 2: Details of escapes Establishment Security Category of Prisoner Date of Escape Date of Recapture Guys Marsh C 5 May 1998 5 May 1998 Guys Marsh C 5 May 1998 5 May 1998 Altcourse Unclassified 21 May 1998 21 May 1998 Werrington YO closed 25 May 1998 29 May 1998 Werrington YO closed 25 May 1998 25 May 1998 Werrington YO closed 25 May 1998 25 May 1998 Werrington YO closed 25 May 1998 25 May 1998 Werrington YO closed 25 May 1998 30 May 1998 Aldington C 14 June 1998 21 August 1998 Featherstone C 19 July 1998 20 July 1998 Lindholme C 2 September 1998 7 September 1998 Eastwood Park Female closed 23 September 1998 23 September 1998 Everthorpe C 26 September 1998 1 October 1998 Deerbolt YO closed 26 October 1998 30 October 1998 Deerbolt YO closed 26 October 1998 26 November 1998 Glen Parva YO closed 5 November 1998 27 November 1998 Glen Parva YO closed 5 November 1998 12 November 1998 Pentonville C 26 November 1998 26 November 1998 Castington YO closed 20 December 1998 21 December 1998 Castington YO closed 20 December 1998 21 December 1998 Littlehey C 30 December 1998 30 December 1998 Wormwood Scrubs Unclassified 31 January 1999 Not recaptured Featherstone C 7 February 1999 13 November 1999 Featherstone C 7 February 1999 30 April 1999 Featherstone C 7 February 1999 27 October 1999 Feltham YO closed 27 February 1999 17 March 1999 Lincoln C 10 March 1999 19 March 1999 agreement has been extended for six months and is now due to expire 23 July 2004. The Authority does have the right under the Agreement to extend the framework for a further two periods of three months each.
The total cost of a self-inflicted death in prison is £132,660.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from prisons in each of the past six years, broken down by(a) date, (b) category of offender and (c) prison; and on what date each was recaptured. [154121]
§ Paul GogginsThe following tables list the information requested for the past five financial years, and so far in the current year. Escapes where the prisoner was recaptured within 15 minutes are not included. The security categories are A, B, C or D for adult male prisoners; A, closed or open for female prisoners and Restricted Status, closed or open for young offenders.
Unsentenced prisoners are not security categorised and are termed Unclassified. Escapes can take place only from closed establishments; an escape from an open prison is counted as an abscond. There have been no category A or YO restricted status escapes since 1995.
461W
Tables 1: Number of escapes Year Number of escapes from prisons 1998–99 28 1999–2000 30 2000–01 10 2001–02 15 2002–03 5 2003–04 10 462W463W
Tables 2: Details of escapes Establishment Security Category of Prisoner Date of Escape Date of Recapture Dover YO closed 25 March 1999 13 April 1999 Featherstone C 1 April 1999 12 April 1999 Thorn Cross YO closed 23 May 1999 23 May 1999 Huntercombe YO closed 24 May 1999 24 May 1999 Risley C 29 May 1999 29 May 1999 Pare Unclassified 23 June 1999 23 June 1999 The Mount C 26 June 1999 24 December 1999 Rochester YO closed 19 July 1999 20 July 1999 Rochester YO closed 19 July 1999 20 July 1999 Rochester YO closed 19 July 1999 3 August 1999 Lindholme C 7 August 1999 13 August 1999 Lindholme C 7 August 1999 15 March 2000 Lindholme C 7 August 1999 4 September 1999 Styal Female closed 8 August 1999 8 September 1999 Styal Female closed 8 August 1999 12 August 1999 Styal Female closed 8 August 1999 15 August 1999 Styal Female closed 8 August 1999 14 August 1999 Liverpool Unclassified 8 August 1999 9 September 1999 Lindholme C 23 September 1999 23 June 2000 Lindholme C 7 October 1999 12 October 1999 Lindholme C 7 October 1999 14 October 1999 Lindholme C 7 October 1999 14 October 1999 Lindholme C 7 October 1999 14 October 1999 Haverigg C 21 November 1999 21 November 1999 Stocken C 12 November 1999 29 November 1999 Littlehey C 26 November 1999 Not recaptured Hollesley Bay YO closed 1 March 2000 1 March 2000 Hollesley Bay YO closed 1 March 2000 1 March 2000 Hollesley Bay YO closed 1 March 2000 1 March 2000 Deerbolt YO closed 12 March 2000 12 March 2000 Deerbolt YO closed 12 March 2000 12 March 2000 Guys Marsh C 22 June 2000 19 September 2000 Erlestoke C 23 July 2000 23 July 2000 Blantyre House C 30 August 2000 22 August 2002 Portland YO closed 1 October 2000 1 October 2000 Risley C 16 November 2000 6 February 2001 Brinsford YO closed 29 December 2000 7 August 2001 Downview D 5 January 2001 19 January 2001 Kirklevington C 10 January 2001 7 February 2001 Lancaster Castle C 14 January 2001 14 January 2001 Lancaster Castle C 14 January 2.001 14 January 2001 Guys Marsh C 3 July 2.001 24 July 2001 Guys Marsh C 3 July 2.001 9 July 2001 Guys Marsh C 3 July 2001 24 July 2001 Feltham YO closed 29 July 2.001 14 September 2001 Wealstun C 14 August 2.001 11 October 2001 Grendon B 30 September 2001 30 September 2001 Grendon B 30 September 2001 1 October 2001 Grendon C 30 September 2001 1 October 2001 Doncaster Unclassified 8 November 2.001 9 January 2001 Winchester B 10 December 2001 15 December 2001 Erlestoke C 30 January 2002 2 February 2002 The Verne C 7 February 2002 14 March 2002 Norwich Unclassified 14 February 2002 16 February 2002 Rye Hill B 18 March 2002 19 March 2002 Rye Hill B 18 March 2002 26 March 2002 Brixton Unclassified 30 June 2002 Not recaptured Norwich C 18 July 2002 31 July 2002 Cardiff Unclassified 10 November 2002 12 December 2002 Littlehey C 13 November 2002 20 November 2002 Weare C 9 February 2003 19 February 2003 Brinsford YO closed 26 May 2003 28 May 2003 Brinsford YO closed 26 May 2003 26 May 2003 Brinsford YO closed 26 May 2003 26 May 2003 Brinsford YO closed 26 May 2003 26 May 2003 Dartmoor C 16 June 2003 22 June 2003 Dartmoor C 16 June 2003 9 July 2003 Lindholme C 23 July 2003 27 July 2003 Bullingdon C 8 August 2003 26 August 2003 Pare Unclassified 10 October 2003 Not recaptured Leicester Unclassified 8 December 2003 9 December 2003
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by prison the number of out-of-cell hours that prisoners are permitted. [152709]
§ Paul GogginsThe average number of daily hours that prisoners have spent out of their cells on weekdays and weekends during the financial year to the end of December is given in the table.
464W
Establishment Weekdays Weekends Acklington 10.4 9.2 Albany 10.0 7.4 Altcourse 13.0 13.0 Ashfield 10.0 9.3 Ashwell 15.5 15.5 Askham Grange 16.0 16.0 Aylesbury 8.7 6.2 Bedford 7.9 5.7 Belmarsh 8.6 4.4 Birmingham 7.6 6.9 Blakenhurst 7.9 7.5 Blantyre House 15.3 15.3 Blundeston 10.1 7.4 Brinsford 8.7 6.3 Bristol 8.0 6.0 Brixton 4.5 3.6 Brockhill 8.7 7.1 Buckley Hall 13.4 13.1 Bullingdon 10.2 .6.4 Bullwood Hall 11.1 7.3 Camp Hill 10.7 8.5 Canterbury 7.5 7.1 Cardiff 9.1 5.9 Castington 7.7 5.3 Channings Wood 9.8 6.9 Chelmsford 9.7 7.3 Coldingley 12.5 10.0 Cookham Wood 7.7 7.5 Dartmoor 9.3 7.0 Deerbolt 9.1 5.4 Doncaster 11.3 11.3 Dorchester 11.6 10.6 Dovegate 12.6 11.2 Dover 12.0 11.9 Down view 10.6 9.3 Drake Hall 16.0 16.0 Durham 9.8 4.7 East Sutton Park 15.1 17.0 Eastwood Park 10.7 8.3 Edmunds Hill 9.5 9.5 Elmley 8.6 7.7 Erlestoke 11.0 10.0 Everthorpe 11.1 8.8 Exeter 8.5 7.5 Featherstone 8.2 10.1 Feltham 6.9 9.5 Ford 13.3 13.3 Forest Bank 12.4 7.7 Foston Hall 10.5 9.1 Frankland 9.3 7.0 Full Sutton 9.5 7.5 Garth 10.0 7.5 Gartree 10.0 7.3 Glen Parva 7.0 3.5 Gloucester 6.8 5.0 Grendon 14.0 11.7 Guys Marsh 8.2 7.4 Haslar 11.2 10.4 Haverigg 11.9 11.9 Hewell Grange 24.0 24.0 High Down 6.2 4.4 Highpoint 10.0 7.5 Hindley io.q 8.9 Hollesley Bay 15.5 15.5
Establishment Weekdays Weekends Holloway 7.1 6.4 Holme House 5.4 4.9 Hull 5.6 5.2 Huntercombe 9.9 8.6 Kingston 12.1 7.7 Kirkham 13.5 13.0 Kirklevington 19.0 19.0 Lancaster 10.0 7.5 Lancaster Farms 9.9 8.6 Latchmere House 19.0 19.0 Leeds 8.7 8.0 Leicester 9.3 6.5 Lewes 7.5 6.5 Leyhill 16.01 16.0 Lincoln 6.2 1.3 Lindholme 11.0 7.8 Littlehey 9.1 8.6 Liverpool 7.1 5.4 Long Lartin 0.2 9.2 Low Newton 10.5 8.4 Lowdham Grange 12.8 12.8 Maidstone 8.8 6.6 Manchester 10.8 8.5 Moorland 11.4 5.1 Morton Hall 15.0 15.0 Mount 8.4 6.7 New Hall 11.0 9.3 North Sea Camp 21.6 21.6 Northallerton 8.3 6.4 Norwich 8.4 6.6 Nottingham 7.8 5.0 Onley 8.3 7.6 Pare 9.8 10.0 Parkhurst 8.9 6.8 Pentonville 7.6 7.0 Portland 8.2 5.6 Preston 8.2 6.5 Ranby 9.9 9.1 Reading 7.9 6.6 Risley 10.5 10.1 Rochester 6.7 6.5 Rye Hill 11.7 11.6 Send 12.9 12.9 Shepton Mallet 10.5 9.1 Shrewsbury 9.4 17.1 Stafford 9.6 4.8 Standford Hill 12.0 12.0 Stocken 10.8 6.2 Stoke Heath 10.3 10.1 Styal 11.6 11.4 Sudbury 20.7 20.7 Swaleside 9.8 7.3 Swansea. 8.9 8.6 Swinfen Hall 10.4 6.8 Thorn Cross 12.5 15.3 UskPrescoed 14.5 13.4 Verne 16.0 16.0 Wakefield 9.0 6.5 Wandsworth 6.0 3.9 Warren Hill 10.3 9.0 Wayland 10.3 8.8 Wealstun 12.0 12.0 Weare 9.7 8.9 Wellingborough 9.8 8.0 Werrington 11.0 9.7 Wetherby 9.8 6.1 Whatton 12.0 9.2 Whitemoor 9.7 7.5 Winchester 8.8 6.5 Wolds 12.6 10.4 Woodhill 8.9 7.5 Wormwood Scrubs 7.1 5.4 Wymott 10.7 10.1