HC Deb 08 May 1989 vol 152 c282W
Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Exeter prison was built; what was the originally intended maximum number of prisoners; what is the number on remand or serving custodial sentences there now; and for how many hours daily an inmate is confined to his cell.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Her Majesty's prison Exeter was opened in 1853 to accommodate about 280 inmates and the young offender remand centre there was added in 1964 to accommodate a further 53. At 28 April 1989 the numbers held compared with the certified normal accommodation were as follows:

Numbers held Certified normal accommodation
Exeter Prison
Adult Male 236 sentenced 254
12 convicted not
sentenced
90 unconvicted
Female Nil 3
338 257
Exeter Remand Centre
Young Offender 11 sentenced 53
20 convicted not
sentenced
30 unconvicted
399 310

Inmates are confined to their cells for 8–19 hours a day; the average is 16 hours a day.