§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give particulars of each escape from police cells in England and Wales since 11 June 1987, including the charges faced by each escaped prisoner; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state his policy on the use of police cells to house remand prisoners.
§ Mr. MellorIn present circumstances there is no practical alternative to the use of police cells where prisoners cannot be received into an appropriate prison. My right hon. and learned Friend and I very much regret the need to hold remand prisoners in police cells at all. The current level of use is a result largely of disruptive industrial action or lack of good will on the part of staff in some establishments and I can assure the hon. and learned 573W Member that every effort is being made to resolve the difficulties. We are most grateful to the police for their assistance.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners are held in police cells in Wales at the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorBy Tuesday 19 June the number of prisoners having to be held in police cells in south Wales as a direct result of industrial action by prison officers at Her Majesty's prison Swansea had been reduced to four. While the dispute has not been resolved, sufficient good will exists to have enabled this reduction to be brought about.
We very much regret the necessity to have recourse to police cells at all.