§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why £100,000 was spent on the old E wing at Her Majesty's prison, Durham, to install extra security measures before women were allocated there.
§ Mr. HurdTotal expenditure was appreciably less than £100,000. The aim was to ensure that the unit was appropriate for prisoners in the highest security category.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what alternative accommodation is available for dispersal or transfer of female category A prisoners from H wing, Her Majesty's prison, Durham.
§ Mr. HurdThere is no alternative accommodation available at present for the permanent allocation of category A women.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many category A women there are now on H wing, Her Majesty's prison, Durham; and how long they have been there;
349W(2) how many category A women have been allocated to H wing, Her Majesty's prison, Durham;
(3) how many women not classified category A have been allocated to H wing, Her Majesty's prison, Durham, since it was opened in 1974.
§ Mr. HurdThere are three category A women in Her Majesty's prison, Durham and they have been held there for approximately four years, four years, and nine years respectively. Our records show that, since 1974 when H wing opened for women, nine category A prisoners have been held there, with a maximum of seven at any one time. Information on the number of women not classified category A allocated to H wing since 1974 could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but H wing normally holds about 35 such inmates at any time.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors determine the level of security needed for women prisoners at Her Majesty's Prison, Durham.
§ Mr. HurdThe level of security required is determined by the fact that Her Majesty's prison Durham currently holds women in security category 'A'.