HC Deb 27 April 1993 vol 223 cc349-50W
Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the circumstances of the delivery of a prisoner from Lindholme prison to Beverley Crown court on Monday 19 April in a private unmarked car rather than a secure van; if he will list all other cases where such transport has been used by Group 4; whether such deliveries break the terms of the contract with Group 4; and what action is being taken with respect to Group 4 in connection with this incident.

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 Mr. I Dunbar to Mr. Tony Blair, dated 27 April 1993: In the temporary absence of the Director General, Mr. Lewis, from the office, the Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the use by Group 4 of an unmarked car in delivering a prisoner from Lindholme Prison to Beverley Crown Court on Monday 19 April and related matters. At present the Prison Service uses a considerable number of unmarked, unadapted vehicles—taxis, private hire minibuses and coaches—to move prisoners. It was thus decided that it would be wrong to impose a requirement on contractors that they use cellular vehicles. In their tender, Group 4 proposed to move most prisoners in cellular vehicles, which is what they are doing. As they expected, however, a small minority of prisoners are being moved in non-cellular vehicles, which does not conflict with the terms of their contract. There is no requirement on Group 4 to report to us the occasions on which non-cellular vehicles are used.

Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners escaped from prison service escorts in the east midlands and Humberside region last year(a) from taxis and (b) from prison service vans.

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 Mr. I. Dunbar to Mr. Tony Blair, dated 27 April 1993: