§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish new penal institutions in Wales; where such prisons would be situated and for what complement of prisoners; whether such institutions would be run by the private or public sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility 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. Alex Carlile, dated June 1993:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about plans to build new Prison Service establishments in Wales; where such prisons would be situated and their size; and whether such establishments would be run by the private or public sector.
Work which has been carried out on the long term planning of the Prison Service estate has shown that there is a need for additional accommodation in Wales. We have already decided to increase the capacity of both Swansea and 668W Cardiff prisons by the provision of new houseblocks. But this expansion will not be sufficient to meet the demand for places, indicating the need for a further, new establishment. A final decision has not yet been made about such an establishment.
We are also concerned that all prisoners whose homes are in North Wales have to be held in establishments in England. But the numbers concerned are relatively small, and there are other areas which are under greater pressure and which must therefore have higher priority for relief.
On the question of whether any new establishment would be run by the private or public sector, no decision has yet been taken on the approach to be taken to the provision and management of new establishments.