§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the provision of a means of secondary access for D wing in Her Majesty's prison, Gartree was not carried out two years ago when the wing was being refurbished.
§ Mr. MayhewThe provison of secondary access for D wing had not been agreed two years ago and consequently there were no detailed drawings, contract and financial provision.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the work on C wing at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree to be completed; and if this will include the provision of a secondary access.
§ Mr. MayhewAll work, including the secondary access, should be complete by March 1983.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why seven prison governors have been appointed to Her Majesty's prison, Gartree in the last 13 years; and whether changes of such frequency were carried out on the basis of any fixed policy.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt is policy to have continuity at senior management level at all establishments but moves for career, promotion and operational reasons have to take place and it is not possible to plan on the basis of fixed tenures for particular posts.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life prisoners it is intended will be accommodated at Her Majesty's prison Gartree; and what proportion life prisoners will be of the total of prisoners accommodated therein.
§ Mr. MayhewGartree is to be developed as a third main centre for life sentence prisoners in the early assessment stage of their sentence, in which work it will be supplementing the role of Wormwood Scrubs and Wakefield. The build-up will be gradual as medical and other facilities have to be provided, and will be in step with the increase in the overall population of the prison. It is 423W expected that the life sentence prisoners in the main centre will eventually comprise approximately one-third of the inmate population. There will continue to be a number of life sentence prisoners among the long-term population in the prison, in addition to those held for assessment in the main centre.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers' houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree are unoccupied at the moment; and how many of these are to be sold.
§ Mr. MayhewThere are 93 unoccupied prison department houses at Her Majesty's prison Gartree; 31 are being sold; the sale of some others is under consideration.
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prisoners and of staff at the moment at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree.
§ Mr. MayhewOn 2 April 1982 there were 174 prisoners, and 202 staff in the prison officer class
§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what policy of sale of unrequired prison officers' houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree is to be adopted: whether preference in such sales will be given to prison officers; and what discounts off the market value will be given to prison officers who are sitting tenants.
§ Mr. MayhewThere are 224 prison department houses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree, 83 of which are adjacent to the prison and the rest in Market Harborough and elsewhere. The quarters adjacent to the prison have, because of their location, been earmarked for improvement and retention as long-term stock. Other quarters elsewhere are gradually being sold as they become vacant or as occupants express an interest in buying them.
Prison officers wishing to purchase the quarters they occupy, if not earmarked for long-term retention, or surplus vacant quarters, may do so at current market value.