§ Mr. Steinbergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison places have been made available by the opening of ex-Army camps; and how many vacancies there are at existing prison establishments.
§ Mr. John PattenOne Army camp, at Rollestone on Salisbury Plain, has been brought into use as a temporary prison this year. Since it opened on 3 August it has accommodated 430 prisoners who would otherwise have been held in other prison establishments. It is staffed by prison service personnel.
The population in all prison establishments on Friday 23 October was 47,494 against a total certified normal accommodation of 42,957, a shortfall of 4,537 places. The total number of vacancies at individual establishment, including Full Sutton (which has just opened and has begun to receive prisoners), and at establishments which have been temporarily closed to allow staff to be deployed elsewhere, was 2,826.