HC Deb 23 April 1993 vol 223 cc213-4W
Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish the conclusions of the inquiry his Department has required from Group 4 into escapes from their prison escort services;

(2) what conclusions he has drawn from the recent prison escort escapes from those in the custody of Group 4 Security; and if he will make a statement.

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 Mr. Tony Blair, dated April 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about escapes by prisoners in the custody of Group 4 Court Services Limited. The Prisoner Escort Monitor has yet to complete the detailed investigations into these escapes. When he has done so, I shall write to you again.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the contract with Group 4 to manage the Wolds prison contains any clause prohibiting the employment of convicted criminals; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if the prisoner transportation contract with Group 4 contains a clause prohibiting the employment of convicted criminals; and if he will make a statement.

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 Mr. Martin Redmond, dated April 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you directly in reply to your recent Parliament Questions asking if the contracts with Group 4 on prisoner transportation and the management of the Wolds Prison contain a clause prohibiting the employment of convicted criminals. The contracts with Group 4 do not contain such a clause, but they do require all Prisoner Custody Officers (PCOs) to be certified by the Home Secretary in accordance with Section 89 of, and Schedule 10 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1991. PCOs are exempt from the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and therefore, like Prison Officers, all previous convictions are taken into consideration in assessing their fitness for certification and the same assessment criteria apply.