Mr. CharlesMorrison asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the amount spent on the prison building programme, the number of new prison places on which work was begun, and the number of new prison places becoming available; and if he will also publish any available forecasts of these figures for the future.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe following table shows the capital expenditure on prison building in England and Wales in the financial years 1963–64— 1973–74. The expenditure includes that on additions and improvements to existing establishments, and 367W on staff quarters, in addition to expenditure on new penal establishments:
Financial Year £m. 1963–64 … 5.7 1964–65 … 4.4 1965–66 … 3.5 1966–67 … 3.8 1967–68 … 5.2 1968–69 … 7.0 1969–70 … 8.1 1970–71 … 7.7 1971–72 … 9.6 1972–73 … 14.2 (provisional) 1973–74 … 25.1 (Budget Estimate) The White Paper on Public Expenditure to 1967–77, Cmnd 5178, made provision for capital expenditure on prison building in England and Wales as follows:
£m. at 1972 Survey Prices 1974–75 … … … … 29 1975–76 … … … … 29.9 1976–77 … … … … 31.1 I am obtaining the other information for which my hon. Friend asks and shall write to him.