HC Deb 01 December 1988 vol 142 c397W
Mr. Michael Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have purchased their prison quarters since Fresh Start.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

In the period since the introduction of Fresh Start until 14 November 1988, 1,101 prison officers have purchased their prison quarters under the Department's discount sales scheme. Information on the few properties sold to prison officers on the open market in this period is not readily available.

Mr. Michael Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many serving officers at Lindholme prison have purchased their prison quarters;

(2) how long it takes for a prison officer serving at Lindholme prison from applying to buy his quarters to signing the final agreement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Twenty prison officers serving at Lindholme prison applied to buy their quarters. None has yet signed a final agreement. The large number of applications for the purchase of quarters under the discount sales scheme has created delays at the conveyancing stage of the sale process which make it impossible to say how long completion of the necessary procedures will take in particular cases.