§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long the pre-release hostel at Her Majesty's Prison, Nottingham, has been in use; what has been the average occupancy of the hostel; what steps are taken to ensure that dangerous criminals are not admitted to it; and how many incidents involving prisoners and the locality have occurred.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe present hostel has been in use since 1957. Since 1970, the average daily occupancy has been 13. Applications for the pre-release employment scheme are considered most carefully, and a recent instruction to selection boards has stressed the importance of avoiding risks to the public. Six charges have been brought against hostellers at Nottingham in the last two years. None involved personal violence or housebreaking. Two offences were committed in Nottingham.
§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his proposals for changing the accommodation of the pre-release hostel at Her Majesty's Prison, Nottingham, to what was formerly the Prison Governor's residence; in what way existing arrangements at Nottingham would be changed by this proposal; how many prisoners it is intended to accommodate under the proposal; and what is the reason for the proposed change.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe proposal is to move the hostel from a wing of the prison to the former Governor's house nearby. The accommodation for hostellers will remain between 16 to 20, security in the prison will be improved and there will be more accommodation available within the prison. Following Lord Mountbatten's report in 1966 it has been the policy to locate hostels outside the prison walls whenever opportunity offers.