§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to reduce the number of people remanded in custody at Risley remand centre.
§ Mr. MayhewWe are considering the feasibility of establishing a remand function at Liverpool prison to enable that establishment to assume responsibility for the majority of men remanded by courts in Merseyside who are currently held at Risley remand centre. Under such arrangements the unsentenced population at Risley might be reduced by about 250 and these places could be occupied instead by sentenced prisoners.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the highest and lowest number of persons remanded in custody at any one time at Risley remand centre during 1982.
§ Mr. MayhewThe only information readily available is that during the period January-November 1982 the number of persons on remand in custody at Risley remand centre at the end of any month ranged from about 650 to about 800.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently on remand at Risley remand centre; and what is the current planned capacity.
§ Mr. MayhewOn 30 November 1982 there were about 800 remand prisoners in Risley remand centre. The certified normal accommodation at Risley is 586 places but, as at most local prisons and remand centres, the daily population is generally well in excess of this figure.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time 625W people spent remanded in custody at Risley remand centre for the current year and for each of the previous three years.
§ Mr. MayhewThe information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.