HC Deb 10 January 1977 vol 923 cc342-3W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost of operating closed-circuit television in prison service establishments.

Mr. John

The cost of maintaining closed-circuit television in prisons is expected to amount to about £60,000 in the current financial year. It is not possible to isolate other operating costs.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are employed in operating closed-circut television in prison service establishments; and what is their total wage bill.

Mr. John

No person is wholly employed in operating closed-circuit television in Prison service establishments. There is a total of 30 senior officers and 109 officers employed on shift-work in emergency control rooms whose duties consist, only in part, of operating closed-circuit television.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prison service establishments that have closed-circuit television, indicating in each case what area of the establishment is surveyed and for what length of time; and what is the purpose of such surveillance.

Mr. John

There are closed-circuit television installations at the following prison:

  • Albany
  • Gartree
  • Hull
  • Long Lartin
  • Parkhurst
  • Wakefield
  • Wormwood Scrubs
  • Chelmsford
  • Coldingley
  • Durham
  • Leicester
  • Liverpool
  • Reading
  • Brixton
  • Manchester
  • Wandsworth
  • Winchester
These installations normally operate continuously throughout the 24 hours. Their purpose is to detect attempts to break through the prison perimeter both from within and without, to monitor prisoners' movements in those parts of the prison where security and control requirements call for close surveillance and to enable emergency action to be co-ordinated from a well-informed central point.