§ Mr. Gordon BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of gross and net public sector capital spending by his Department by both central Government and local authorities for 1988–89 and for each of the next three years, at current prices and at constant 1987–88 prices.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe estimated capital spending outturn for 1988–89 within the Department of Education and Science programme and planned provision for the next three years are as follows:
participate in the scheme; what is the average waiting time for the scheme; and if he will consider its extension to Her Majesty's prison Maze.
§ Mr. Ian StewartDuring the thre-year period between 1 January 1986, and 31 December 1988, 71 indeterminate sentence prisoners were released on licence after completing a pre-release programme operated from Her Majesty's prison, Belfast. Thirty-eight prisoners are currently involved in the pre-release programme. Fifteen of them are working out of the prison each day and eight are working and living in the community, reporting to the prison at intervals.
There are no prisoners awaiting an opportunity to participate in the scheme. The practice is that once a provisional release date has been set by the Secretary of State the prisoner is informed and transferred to Belfast prison shortly afterwards.
There are no plans to move the pre-release unit from Belfast prison. The use of other prisons, including Maze, on an ad hoc basis has not, however been ruled out should the number of prisoners on pre-release exceed the capacity at Belfast.