THE PRISON ESTATE (Hansard, 30 January 1992)

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

We have considered very carefully the large number of representations received following our announcement on 24th July (CommonsHansard vol. 195, col. 598.) of the proposals which had emerged from the review of the prison estate. The proposals included changes to the roles of 15 establishments, and the closure of seven establishments as well as units at HM Prison Drake Hall, HM Prison Highpoint and HM Prison Norwich.

Since these proposals were made the prison population has risen and the prison service has had to resort to very high levels of police cell use to accommodate prisoners. Yesterday there were 1,244 prisoners in police cells. The use of police cells in this way is entirely unacceptable and we do not now believe that it would be right to continue with the proposed closures, except for HMRC Pucklechurch and the open unit at HM Prison Highpoint in 1993–94. We therefore now intend that the establishments in the following list should continue in operation for at least the next two years and subject where appropriate to changes of role.

HMYOI Kirklevington	To convert to adult use.
HMYOI Werrington	To remain as a young offender institution.
HMP Hewell Grange	To continue for the present in its temporary role as an adult open prison.
HMYOI Finnamore Wood Camp	To remain as a young offender institution.
HMP Oxford	Closure to be deferred and to be used as a decanting facility by London establishments during the present period of large scale refurbishment.

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HMP Aldington	To remain as a training prison.
HMP Norwich (Britannia)	Closure to be deferred and to be used temporarily to relieve the main establishment while work goes ahead to install integral sanitation.
HMP Drake Hall	The proposal to mothball one unit will not now go ahead.
We have also reached the following conclusions in respect of the proposed changes of role:
HMYOI Castington	To be retained as a young offender institution.
HMYOI Deerbolt	To establish a juvenile unit within existing buildings.
HMP Nottingham	To be retained as a training establishment.
HMYOI Lancaster Farms	To be used as a remand centre as well as a young offender institution.
HMP Risley	To be used as both a local and training prison as new accommodation comes into use.
HMP Leeds	To be used as both a training and a local prison as new accommodation comes into use.
HMP Stafford	Further consideration will be given to the proposal for this establishment to be converted in part to a local prison in 1995–96.
HMP Gloucester	One wing to be used as a remand centre.
HMYOI Eastwood Park	To close as a young offender institution (1992–93) and reopen as a female establishment (1993–94).
HMYOI Hollesley Bay Colony	To convert in part to adult use.
HMP Bedford	To convert in part to a remand centre. But further consideration will be given to whether it will in addition be necessary to use some of the accommodation at HMP Woodhill as a remand centre.
HMP Reading	To convert to a remand centre.
HMP Elmley	To open as part local and part category C training prison.
HMP Coldingley	To convert from a category B to a category C training prison.
HMYOI Guys Marsh	Further consideration will be given to the most effective way of providing an adequate number of remand centre places in the south of England. It is now proposed that for the time being Guys Marsh will be used to hold adult male sentenced prisoners as well as young offenders.