HC Deb 24 June 1992 vol 210 c191W
Mr. Quentin Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are, in relation to the last full year for which figures are available,(a) the total value of the economic contributions made by prisoners' own labour to the funding of the prison service, (b) the value of the sales of goods produced by prison labour to third (outside) parties and (c) the proportion which the answers to (a) and (17, respectively represent of the total annual cost (including depreciation, interest and other capital costs) of the prison service or so much of this information as is available in any form; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The last full year for which figures are available is 1990–91. The information is as follows:(a) £47.6 million; (b) £5.7 million; (c) 0.03 per cent. (a); 0.004 per cent. (b).

The figures at (a) and (b) represent the sales value of goods and services applied by prison industrial workshops, laundries, farms and gardens, excluding VAT. They do not include the economic contribution made by inmates working in prison kitchens or engaged in other domestic work, on which information is not available.

The total cost of the Prison Service in 1990–91 was £1,464.2 million. This figure includes capital expenditure, but excludes depreciation and interest on capital employed.

Forward to