HC Deb 26 April 1990 vol 171 cc287-9W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional places have been provided by extending existing prisons since 1984 and how many more will be provided when current plans are completed.

Mr. Mellor

During the period 1 January 1984 to 11 February this year, the latest date for which figures are available, 2,446 additional places were provided at existing prison establishments in England and Wales.

The following net increases in places at existing establishments are currently planned for the period up to 1993–94:

Increases
1990–91 1,171
1991–92 573
1992–93 1,059
1993–94 315

These figures do not take account of the effect which the recent disturbances may have on the number of places available in future years.

Further increases in places at existing establishments after 1993–94 are also planned, but the timing and number of these depend on the availability of resources.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost per place of the prisons currently under construction.

Mr. Mellor

The average cost per place of the 14 prisons currently under construction, or where construction is due to start shortly, is about £117,000.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated total capital cost at current prices of the 24 new prisons in the prison building programme.

Mr. Mellor

The total capital cost of the design and construction of the 24 prisons in the prison building programme is estimated at £1,355 million. This total represents the sum of the various costs incurred, or likely to be incurred, at each prison at outturn prices. It is not possible in the time available to provide a total at current prices.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places in the new purpose-built prisons have been provided since 1984 and how many more will be provided at the end of the current prison building programme.

Mr. Mellor

Since 1984, a total of 3,512 places have been provided in new prison establishments in England and Wales. A further 8,397 places are due to be provided by 1994 in new prison establishments which are either under construction or are due to be started shortly. The current programme also envisages the construction of a further 3,600 places, but the locations and time scales of these places have yet to be determined and they will have to be assessed in the light of the prison service's needs.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which new prisons have opened in premises converted from other uses since 1984; and how many places they contain.

Mr. Mellor

The following prison establishments currently in use have been converted from other uses since 1984:

Name Type Places (certified normal accommodation)
Lindholme, near Doncaster (former RAF station) Adult male category C training 1,001
Downview, Banstead (former mental hospital and nurses home) Adult male category C training 332

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which new prisons have been opened since 1984.

Mr. Mellor

The following prison establishments have been opened since 1984 in England and Wales:

Name of establishment Date of opening
Wayland, Norfolk (Adult Male, Category C) 1985
Stocken, Leicestershire (Adult Male, Category C) 1985
Thorn Cross, Cheshire (Young Offender Institution) 1985
Full Sutton, Yorkshire (Adult Male, Category B Dispersal) 1987
Littlehey, Cambridgeshire (Adult Male, Category C) 1988
The Mount, Hertfordshire (Young Offender Institution) 1988
Swaleside, Sheppey (Adult Male, Category B) 1988
Garth, Lancashire (Adult Male, Category B) 1988

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