§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects construction of the new prison at Woolwich and the associated court complex to be completed; and when each is now planned to come into operation.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe contract for construction of the prison is expected to be completed in December 1990. The target date for arrival of the first inmates is April 1991. The court complex is the responsibility of my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor. I understand that it is currently estimated that the court complex will be completed towards the end of 1991 and come into operation shortly thereafter.
§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest estimated cost of(a) the new prison at Woolwich and (b) the associated court complex; and what were the original estimates.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe original estimated cost for constructing the prison was £59.94 million (at second quarter 1986 prices). Associated advance works were estimated at an additional £4.08 million (at third quarter 1985 prices). The latest estimate for the project as a whole is £88.90 million, at 1988–89 prices. This is subject to adjustment, in the light of further cost increases in the construction industry.
The construction of the court complex is the responsibility of my right hon. and noble Friend, the Lord Chancellor. I understand that tenders for this project are being currently evaluated. The provisional pre-tender estimate at second quarter 1988 prices was about £17.5 million. This did not allow for any additional cost arising from the incorporation of the changes subsequently recommended by the Royal Fine Arts Commission.