§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the extent of the shortages of shirts, pants, socks, shoes and towels discovered at Birmingham prison during the special stocktaking in March.
§ Mr. MellorThe shortages were as follows:
Item Scale holding for population of 9601 Actual holding Shortfall March 1990 Shirts 9,600 6,474 3,126 Pants 6,720 1,858 4,862 Socks 9,600 1,910 7,690 Shoes 1,680 1,008 672 Towels 5,760 2,777 2,983 1 The scales provide for articles actually in inmates' possession, in the laundry and in store awaiting laundering or issue. Following the stocktaking substantial additional supplies were issued to the prison, and new control procedures were introduced to ensure that the issue and re-issue of clothing to prisoners is carefully monitored in future.