HC Deb 22 October 1991 vol 196 cc526-9W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the weekly cost for each police force in England and Wales met by his Department since the prison officers dispute began and (b) the total cost;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of prisoners that have been housed in police accommodation since the prison officers dispute began; and if he will separately distinguish the statistics for each force in England and Wales;

(3) how many police officers in each force in England and Wales have been involved with supervising Home Office prisoners since the prison officers' dispute began.

Mrs. Rumbold

I assume that the hon. Member is concerned with the effect of industrial action at Cardiff and Swansea prisons only.

Separate information on the cost of holding Cardiff prisoners in police cells and details of the number of police officers involved in supervising these prisoners is not collected centrally. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The number of prisoners housed in police accommodation on each Friday since the prison officers' dispute at Cardiff prison began and the police forces by which they were being held is as follows:

Date Number
Friday 21 June
Avon and Somerset 16
Gwent 9
South Wales 60
Total 85
Friday 28 June
Avon and Somerset 25
Dyfed and Powys 20
Gwent 21
South Wales 64
Total 130
Friday 5 July
Avon and Somerset 23
Dyfed and Powys 20
Gwent 20
South Wales 49
Total 112
Friday 12 July
Avon and Somerset 23
Dyfed and Powys 14
Gwent 23
South Wales 45
Total 105
Friday 19 July
Avon and Somerset 25
Dyfed and Powys 2
Gwent 28
South Wales 76
Total 131
Friday 26 July
Avon and Somerset 26
Devon and Cornwall 12
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 26
South Wales 48
West Mercia 12
Total 131
Friday 2 August
Avon and Somerset 22
Devon and Cornwall 22
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 24
South Wales 40
West Mercia 15
Total 130
Friday 9 August
Avon and Somerset 28
Devon and Cornwall 14
Gloucestershire 6
Gwent 22
South Wales 50
West Mercia 10
Total 130
Friday 16 August
Devon and Cornwall 23
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 26
South Wales 53
West Mercia 9
Total 118
Friday 23 August

Date Number
Avon and Somerset 26
Devon and Cornwall 23
Dyfed 5
Gloucestershire 10
Gwent 29
South Wales 44
West Mercia 9
Total 146
Friday 30 August
Avon and Somerset 30
Devon and Cornwall 23
Dyfed 6
Gloucestershire 6
Gwent 24
South Wales 43
Total 138
Friday 6 September
West Mercia 6
Avon and Somerset 33
Devon and Cornwall 22
Dyfed 12
Gloucestershire 6
Gwent 23
South Wales 54
Warwickshire 2
West Mercia 12
Wiltshire 1
Total 165
Friday 13 September
Avon and Somerset 27
Devon and Cornwall 17
Dyfed 7
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 23
Hampshire 9
South Wales 41
West Mercia 29
Wiltshire 2
Total 162
Friday 20 September
Avon and Somerset 35
Devon and Cornwall 17
Dyfed 22
Gloucestershire 9
Hampshire 3
Leicestershire 7
South Wales 41
Thames Valley 5
Warwickshire 4
West Mercia 39
Total 182
Friday 27 September
Avon and Somerset 23
Devon and Cornwall 22
Dorset 7
Dyfed 18
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 24
Hampshire 3
Leicestershire 8
South Wales 37
Thames Valley 14
West Mercia 31
Total 194
Friday 4 October
Avon and Somerset 26
Devon and Cornwall 13
Dorset 7
Dyfed 13
Gloucestershire 7
Gwent 23
Leicestershire 5
South Wales 32

Date Number
Thames Valley 14
West Mercia 29
Wiltshire 2
Total 171
Friday 11 October
Avon and Somerset 24
Devon and Cornwall 10
Dyfed 26
Gloucestershire 9
Gwent 23
Leicestershire 3
South Wales 40
Thames Valley 10
West Mercia 23
Total 168

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from chief constables on the effect on normal policing of the prison officers' dispute.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

No. My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with chief officers of police to discuss a wide range of policing matters, including the effect of the prison officers' dispute.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the stress imposed on police officers resulting from the supervising of Home Office prisoners during the prison officers' dispute.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

No specific measurements of related stress have been made by the Home Office, but the Government's response to the Home Affairs Committee's fifth report on police sickness, published today, includes reference to more general research on stress in police work. Copies are being placed in the Library.

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