§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals to change the top security status for certain gaols by 1992 and as the consultation processes which will be involved.
§ Mr. HurdI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) on 12 April 1989 at columns544–5. This draws attention to the statement issued by the deputy director general of the prison service (a copy of which is in the Library) which includes details of the plans for the future shape and size of the prison dispersal system.
A copy of the statement has been sent for information to governors and to chairmen of boards of visitors of prisons normally holding inmates in the highest security category—category A—and copies have also been supplied to the trade unions.
Consultation with the staff interests concerned at national and local level will take place as appropriate as we work towards effecting the changes planned to take place in the 1990s at the establishments involved.
§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the eventual total job losses at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree, due to the change from category A by 1992.
§ Mr. HurdIt is too early to be certain how many staff will be needed when the prison changes its function but the total staff in post figure could fall by more than 100. No redundancies are anticipated as a result of the change at Gartree. The aim is to absorb surplus staff by redeployment and natural wastage.
§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prior consultation he had with 613W local hon. Members with a constituency interest before announcing his decision relating to changes of category at Her Majesty's prison, Gartree.
§ Mr. HurdNone. The effect of the change planned for Gartree prison is that from the early 1990s the 50 or so category A prisoners will be replaced by inmates of a lower security category.