HC Deb 20 April 1993 vol 223 cc63-5W
Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mobile and non-mobile staff at Manchester prison have thus far opted not to be redeployed within the Prison Service in the event of contracting out.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 19 April 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many mobile and non-mobile staff at Manchester prison have thus far opted not to be redeployed within the Prison Service in the event of contracting out.

Staff have not yet been asked to state their preference for redeployment in the prison service or transfer to the contractor should a private operator win the market test of Her Majesty's Prison Manchester.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has been given to companies tendering for Manchester prison; and what additional costs will be involved.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 19 April 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in response to your recent Parliamentary Question about the advice on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations 1981 given to companies tendering for Manchester Prison.

Tenderers have been informed that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE) will apply to the market testing of HM Prison Manchester. They have been informed that should a private operator win the contract the Prison Service intends to give staff at Manchester the option of redeployment and have been asked to provide information on the effect the application of TUPE will have on their bids.

Any effect on costs will not be known until the tendering exercise has concluded and the number of staff transferring, in the event of a private operator winning the contract, is known.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which staff and union agreements will now be taken into account by companies tendering for Manchester prison.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 19 April 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking which staff and union agreements will now be taken into account by companies tendering for Manchester Prison.

Companies tendering for the operation contract for HM Prison Manchester have been supplied with information about numbers of staff in-post, pay and the main agreements with the trades unions so that they can adjust their bids in the light of the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. Full details of the terms and conditions of staff and agreements with the trades unions will be made available to the preferred bidder before any contract is awarded.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance was offered by the prison department to staff preparing the in-house bid at Manchester prison.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 19 April 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about guidance to the Manchester prison in-house bid team.

The Prison Service bid for the management of Manchester Prison has made appropriate use of an extensive range of central services—including guidance and advice from headquarters. It has received the same advice and guidance from the Unit responsible for the competitive tendering process as has been available to other tenderers.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the companies that have been invited to submit tenders for the running of Manchester prison.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated April 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the companies that have been invited to tender for the running of Manchester Prison.

In October 1992 the following organisations were invited to tender for the operating contract at HMP Manchester:

  • — HM Prison Service
  • — Premier Prison Services Ltd.
  • — Securicor Custodial Services Ltd.
  • — Group 4 Remand Services Ltd.
  • — Securiguard Services Ltd.
  • — UK Detention Services Ltd.
  • — Contract Prisons plc
  • — Reliance Security Services Ltd.
  • — Sodexho

Contract Prisons plc and Reliance Security Services Ltd withdrew at an early stage.