HC Deb 30 June 1976 vol 914 cc189-91W
Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much land the Prison Department owns, has leased or is seeking to acquire in Haverhill; and how much has been spent on this land.

Mr. John

22 acres of land have been purchased in Haverhill at a cost of £668,000. We are not leasing, nor are we seeking to acquire, further land in Haverhill.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many houses it is intended to build in Haverhill for Prison Department and other Home Office personnel; and when, on present plans, he intends to make a start on constructing them.

Mr. John

Present plans are for 223 houses to be built in Haverhill, and for construction of the first phase of 49 to begin in mid-1977.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with St. Edmunds-bury District Council about leasing or purchasing surplus town development houses in Haverhill for the use of Prison Department or other Home Office personnel.

Mr. John

Discussions were held with the former Haverhill Urban District Council in 1972 about the provision and location of prison staff housing, and eight council houses were leased temporarily. An offer of surplus council houses for use by prison staff made by St. Edmunds-bury District Council in February 1976 had to be declined as no further need for off-site housing is likely to arise before 1979.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will invite Prison Department officials and representatives of the Prison Officers Association to inspect the empty town development houses in Haverhill and Bury St. Edmunds with a view to determining whether these houses meet standards required for those prison officers and their families who are to serve at High Point Prison, Stradishall, Suffolk, but whose duties will not require them to live at the prison itself;

(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of building new houses in Haverhill for prison officers and other Home Office personnel; and what comparison he has made with the cost of purchasing or leasing surplus town development houses provided by the GLC in that town and/or Bury St. Edmunds.

Mr. John

Planning of the houses for Prison Service staff at Haverhill is at too early a stage for reliable costings to be made, but they will be built to cost yardsticks related to those used for local authority housing. As there is no requirement for housing away from the prison site until 1979 and no intention to commence building at Haverhill until mid-1977, there would be no value at this stage in inspecting such town development houses as are at present available, or comparing the cost of purchasing or

Parker Morris standard house for 5 people
Semi or end of terrace Centre terrace Prison Department house for 5 people
sq. ft. sq. ft. sq. ft.
Internal floor area 880 910 915
Storage 50 50 48.5

Parker Morris standard house for 4 people
Semi or end of terrace Centre terrace Prison Department house for 4 people
sq. ft. sq. ft. sq. ft.
Internal floor area 770 800 802
Storage 50 50 48.5

Differences between the Parker Morris standard house for six people and junior

Parker Morris standard house for 6 people Prison Department house for 7 people
Internal floor area 990 sq. ft. 1,162.5 sq. ft.
Storage 50 sq. ft. 70 sq. ft.
Central heating Ground floor only Ground floor only
Electric sockets 17 17
Parking space/garages Parking space only Parking space, 50 per cent, or 75 per cent, garage provision according to locality