HC Deb 13 January 1989 vol 144 cc750-1W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the nature and extent of catering and canteen services provision at Ashford remand centre; by whom such provision is made; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

[holding answer 16 December 1988]: As my right hon. Friend announced last March, Ashford remand centre has been reopened on a temporary basis to enable prisoners to be moved from police cells.

Because of a shortage of trained prison officer caterers, catering for inmates is being provided by a contractor, Sutcliffe Catering South-East, whose contract requires it to provide meals to the standards and dietary scales laid down for the prison service as a whole.

In the light of experience at the two temporary camps closed recently, the inmates canteen is being operated by the NAAFI; the range of stocks is based on those held in other prison canteens.