§ Lord Windleshamasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the legislation forecast in the White Paper, Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public (Cmnd. 965), will include proposals to provide a legal framework to permit the contracting out of remand centres and escort services to and from court as indicated in the Home Secretary's statement of 1st March 1989 (HC Deb., col. 277) on private sector involvement in the remand system.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)My right honourable friend the Home Secretary hopes to announce shortly the conclusions which the Government have reached in the light of the further studies into the cost-effectiveness of private sector involvement in the remand system which were referred to in the statement of 1st March 1989. This announcement will also deal with how the Government's proposals might be implemented.