§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had about involving the private sector in the construction and management of prisons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe are carefully considering the recommendations of the Select Committee on Home Affairs and hope to reply shortly. The private sector is already heavily involved in the construction of new prisons. The new Prisons Building Board, which includes representatives from the private sector, will help to ensure that private sector expertise and techniques are harnessed to bring new prisons on stream as quickly as possible.