§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he now expects Operation Container to end in Greater Manchester;
(2) how much Operation Container has so far cost; and what is his estimate of its final cost.
§ Mr. Peter LloydSince April 1990, the total payment made to the Greater Manchester police for holding prisoners in police cells has been £40,121,851.19 This figure does not include payments for Manchester prisoners held by other police forces, information on which was not collected separately. As has been explained to the hon. Member, while the ending of the police cells problem is a matter of the highest priority for the prison service, it is not possible to say exactly when Operation Container will no longer be required or the final cost.