§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 October,Official Report, column 453, what assessment he has made of the change in costs of catering in prisons resulting from the introduction of contracts with commercial companies.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe dietary allowances for inmates are the same in all prisons including those where catering has been contracted out. Catering has only been contracted out in new prisons, therefore for these prisons there is no historical data on which to assess changes in other costs associated with catering. Future assessments of different methods of providing catering will balance the quality of the service against the costs.