§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the inmate protests that have taken place at the Wolds private prison since it opened in April.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThere have been four instances of inmate protest at HM Prison Wolds since April.
On 16 May a prisoner on morning exercise climbed onto the first floor windowsill of an unoccupied living unit. He tied himself to the window bars with a sweatshirt and stayed there for about four hours, protesting about being in prison. After he was persuaded to come down he went to the hospital to he kept under observation.
On 28 May, 43 prisoners in one living unit refused to go to bed at 2200 hours and remained in the communal living area while discussions took place with management about food distribution methods and drugs dependency treatment. During the night 39 prisoners returned to their own rooms of their own accord and four were escorted to the segregation unit. The incident finished at 0645 hours on 29 May. It was entirely peaceful throughout.
On 18 June, 28 prisoners in A unit, 12 on B unit and 34 on C unit refused to leave the association areas to go to bed at 2200 hours. The director agreed to their request for a prisoner committee comprising representatives of each unit to meet on a regular basis with prison management, and by 0130 on 19 June all prisoners had returned to their rooms voluntarily. The incident was entirely peaceful.
On 27 June, 48 prisoners in two units refused to go to their cells at 2200 hours. The sit-in was peaceful throughout in one unit and after agreement to the request for an early meeting with management and others to discuss medical provision the prisoners went to their cells at 0245 on 28 June. No specific complaints were voiced by prisoners in the second unit who caused damage of around £ 5,000 to furniture, recreational items and files. The incident was resolved without force with most prisoners returning to their cells voluntarily. Eight were escorted to the segregation unit. One prisoner cut his arm breaking a window and received appropriate medical treatment. The police are investigating the incident with a view to bringing charges if appropriate.
The Home Office controller or her deputy and members of the boards of visitors were present throughout on all these occasions.
§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the reports made by the Crown Controller into service delivery at the Wolds private prison.
§ Mr. Peter LloydNo. The controller's reports on how the contract is managed and delivered contain information38W that is commercial in confidence. Reports by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons will be published and the board of visitors is free to publish its annual report.