Prisons

HC Deb 10 February 1989 vol 146 cc819-20W

Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give capital expenditure on prisons for each year since 1974.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Figures for total capital expenditure are given in the "Report on the Work of the Prison Service" which is published annually. Total capital expenditure on the Prison Service, net of receipts, in the financial years from 1974 was as follows:

Financial year	Capital expenditure1
1987–88	108
1986–87	110
1985–86	105
1984–85	74
1983–84	61
1982–83	46
1981–82	32
1980–81	33
1979–80	26
1978–79	26
1977–78	27
1976–77	28
1975–76	32
1974–75	22
1973–74	19
1 £ million to the nearest million at outturn prices.

It should be noted that the definition of total capital expenditure has changed during the period covered: the figures are not, therefore, directly comparable.