HC Deb 21 November 1986 vol 105 cc368-9W
Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prison establishments which are currently permitting prisoners to attend outside education courses under Home Office circular instruction 8/81.

Mr. Mellor

The latest information collated centrally relates to the academic year 1984–85. In that year prisoners in the following establishments were granted temporary release for educational purposes:

HMP Askham Grange HMP Highpoint
HMDC Buckley Hall HMP Kirkham
HMP Cookham Wood HMP Leyhill
HMYCC Dover HMYCC Lowdham Grange
HMYCC/HMP East Sutton HMP Nottingham
Park HMP Pentonville
HMP Featherstone HMP Soring Hill
HMP Ford HM DC Whatton
HMYCC Hatfield
HMP/YCC Hewell Grange

Mr. Wheeler

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many hours in the most recent convenient week the workshops in Pentonville prison were open; what was the average number of prisoners employed; how many classes took place and for how many hours; what was the average number of prisoners in each class; and how much time on average each prisoner spent out of his cell during that week.

Mr. Mellor

In the week commencing 3 November 1986, the workshops were open for an average of 15½ hours; an average of 355 prisoners were employed each working day in the workshops and on catering, maintenance, cleaning and other domestic tasks; 88 education classes (51 day-time and 37 evening) took place for a total of 482 hours; there were an average of six prisoners in each class. It is not practical to calculate the average amount of time spent out of cells since this covers many things apart from work and education including, for example, exercise, association, visits, use of the prison library and canteen and other out-of-cell activities.

Mr. Wheeler

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum number of prisoners who can be employed in Pentonville prison on any one day.

Mr. Mellor

Five hundred.