HC Deb 23 November 1992 vol 214 cc462-5W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of prison officers working at each of the London prisons who are listed as waiting to be allocated a prison officer quarter.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Since the introduction of the fresh start agreement in 1987, prison officers are not entitled to the provision of a prison service quarter. Consequently there are no records kept at any of the London prisons for officers waiting to be allocated a prison service quarter.

This is because when official quarters become available, they are advertised by the governor within the establishment. All applications are considered by him, and factors such as the length of service, seniority and compassionate grounds, are taken into account in making an allocation.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what survey has been undertaken by his Department as to how prison officers newly posted to work in London prisons find suitable affordable accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

No survey has been undertaken by the prison service as to how prison officers newly posted to London prisons find suitable accommodation. Since fresh start, prison officers are no longer quarters entitled.

However, in recognition of the difficulties experienced by new prison officers, whose first posting, like that of other newly recruited civil servants, does not constitute a public expense transfer, officers who are purchasing property in high cost areas, and those posted to establishments in the south-east of England, including London, have since 1989 been able to claim up to £5,000 relocation expenses.

Officers who are transferred to London prisons on permanent compulsory transfer terms are entitled to reimbursement of the expenses incurred in moving home. If they own a property, its sale at the current market value is guaranteed through a Home Office scheme operated by the Black Horse Relocation Company. Financial assistance to officers transferring at public expense from a cheaper to a more expensive area and whose outgoings have necessarily increased is available in the form of additional housing cost allowance. Officers may apply for an advance of salary for house purchase which is repayable, free of interest, over a 10-year period.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total amount of revenue received by his Department from the sale of prison officers' quarters in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The total amount of receipts from the sale of prison officers quarters in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years were as follows:

Receipts £ million
1982–83 6.8
1983–84 16.1
1984–85 16.6
1985–86 11.1
1986–87 12.1
1987–88 6.7
1988–89 61.0
1989–90 44.0
1990–91 22.0
1991–92 16.8
11992–93 5.6
Total 218.8
1 (To date).

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers' quarters have been purchased or built for prison officers (a) in Greater London and (b) in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The numbers of quarters built or purchased in each of the last 10 years were as follows:

Year Built Purchased
1982–83
1983–84
1984–85 160
1985–86 100
1986–87
1987–88 80
1988–89 58
1989–90 13
1990–91 13
1991–92 16
1991–93 (to date) 6
Totals 238 208

Following the introduction of fresh start in 1987, prison officers were no longer entitled to quarters and quarters purchased since then have been for chaplains, farm managers and agricultural workers at the new prisons. The only quarters provided in the Greater London area were seven purchased for HM prison Belmarsh, Woolwich, in 1990–91.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prison officers' quarters that have been sold in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The total number of prison officers quarters sold in each of the last 10 years were as follows:

Number sold
1982–83 463
1983–84 779
1984–85 739
1985–86 441
1986–87 455
1987–88 250
1988–89 2,260
1989–90 1,502
1990–91 698
1991–92 538
11992–93 152
Total 8,277
1 to date

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officer quarters at each of the London prisons are still owned by his Department.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The number of prison officers' quarters owned by the Department at each of the London prisons is as follows:

Number
Belmarsh 9
Brixton 172
Feltham 91
Holloway 150
Latchmere House 22
Pentonville 92
Wandsworth 144
Number
Wormwood Scrubs 182
Total 862