HC Deb 18 October 1993 vol 230 cc118-27W
Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the Department's projections for the size of the prison population in each of the years 1994 to the year 2000.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Projections of long-term trends in the prison population to 2001 were published in the Home OfficeStatistical Bulletin 6/93 on 30 March 1993, on the basis of the legislation then in force. These projections have been revised on an interim basis, reflecting the changes introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and taking account of the most recent data. The revised projections for 1994 onwards are:

Number
1994 48,800
1995 50,500
1996 51,100
1997 52,100
1998 53,200
1999 54,300
2000 55,400
2001 56,600

These projections are based on an estimate of the effect of the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and are therefore subject to a considerable margin of uncertainty. Further revised projections will be published next March following the full annual updating exercise.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the(a) certified normal accommodation and (b) actual population at each prison in England and Wales; and what were the total figures, at the latest available date.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Prison Service accommodation and population. I attach a table showing the certified normal accommodation (CNA) and actual population in each establishment in England and Wales on 11 October 1993.

Establishment CNA and population on 11 October 1993
Establishment CNA Population
Acklington 676 643
Albany 313 297
Aldington 133 105
Ashwell 404 392
Askham Grange 129 106
Aylesbury 241 238
Bedford 170 226
Belmarsh 841 688
Birmingham 638 719
Blakenhurst 523 523
Blantyre House 95 94
Blundeston 410 322
Brinsford 446 451
Bristol 374 432
Brixton 518 615
Brockhill 156 124
Bullingdon 635 610
Bullwood Hall 125 106
Camp Hill 406 342
Canterbury 128 194
Cardiff 328 426
Castington 300 278
Channings Wood 594 546
Chelmsford 217 326
Coldingley 222 237
Cookham Wood 120 116
Dartmoor 560 506
Deerbolt 432 347
Dorchester 136 204
Dover 316 185
Downview 287 283
Drake Hall 255 193
Durham 364 526

Establishment CNA Population
East Sutton Park 85 76
Elmley 635 590
Erlestoke 206 203
Everthorpe 228 224
Exeter 317 413
Featherstone 599 580
Feltham 874 797
Finnamore Wood 112 81
Ford 536 459
Frankland 339 317
Full Sutton 604 522
Garth 512 508
Gartree 258 246
Glen Parva 854 741
Gloucester 207 254
Grendon 190 170
Guys Marsh 300 173
Haslar 145 142
Hatfield 180 179
Haverigg 345 331
Hewell Grange 136 163
High Down 549 521
Highpoint 679 650
Hindley 317 309
Hollesley Bay 425 299
Holloway 517 492
Holme House 649 586
Hull 269 417
Huntercombe 240 164
Kingston 104 96
Kirkham 620 589
Kirklevington 74 68
Lancaster 186 261
Lancaster Farms 260 324
Latchmere House 131 117
Leeds 700 1,111
Leicester 194 343
Lewes 267 333
Leyhill 410 410
Lincoln 444 591
Lindholme 622 608
Littlehey 543 525
Liverpool 931 1,273
Long Lartin 362 333
Low Newton 199 250
Maidstone 513 524
Manchester 291 308
Morland 641 629
Morton Hall 168 169
The Mount 484 464
New Hall 205 157
North Sea Camp 204 191
Northallerton 146 22
Norwich 463 440
Nottingham 218 209
Onley 456 458
Parkhurst 286 232
Pentonville 559 651
Portland 424 340
Prescoed 40 33
Preston 324 550
Pucklechurch 56 66
Ranby 331 329
Reading 182 167
Risley 773 693
Rochester 303 169
Rudgate 300 262
Send 113 111
Shepton Mallet 158 181
Shrewsbury 168 290
Spring Hill 210 206
Stafford 532 511
Standford Hill 384 308
Stocken 396 389
Stoke Heath 300 266
Styal 180 199
Sudbury 509 425
Swaleside 504 500

Establishment CAN Population
Swansea 213 277
Swinfen Hall 167 166
Thorn Cross 240 187
Thorp Arch 166 164
Usk 201 187
The Verne 552 538
Wakefield 662 649
Wandsworth 838 811
Wayland 580 556
Wellingborough 284 279
Werrington 110 106
Wetherby 120 139
Whatton 217 213
Whitemoor 534 495
Winchester 361 392
The Wolds 320 321
Woodhill 492 493
Wormwood Scrubs 527 732
Wymott 110 78
TOTAL 46,361 46,471

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held(a) two to a cell and (b) three to a cell, on the most recent date for which figures are available.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about cell sharing. On 30 September 1993, the number of prisoners held two to a cell intended for one person was 7,740, and the number held three to a cell was 93.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the expected capacity of prisons in England and Wales in the years 2000, 2005 and 2010.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the expected capacity of prisons in England and Wales into the next century. Our current projection indicates that the Certified Normal Accommodation of prisons in England and Wales will be 54,000 places in the financial year 2000–01, assuming that a small proportion of accommodation will be out of use for essential building and repair work. This projection reflects the plans for additional capacity included in the 1992 Public Expenditure Survey. It therefore includes only two of the six new prisons announced by the Home Secretary earlier this month. We have not made any projection of accommodation levels beyond that year. A revised projection should be available early next year and this will include all years up to 2001–2.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the change in the prison population for each month of 1993.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about monthly changes in the prison population in 1993. The table below gives monthly changes based on the population on the last Friday of each month.

Month Change
January +884
February +1,249
March +368
April +116
May +659
June +301
July +926
August +489
September +533

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average monthly change in the prison population in the years 1988 to 1992.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about monthly changes in the prison population in recent years. The following table gives the average monthly change in the prison population for the years 1988 to 1992.

Month Average change 1988 to 1992
January 1,044
February 692
March 124
April -130
May -220
June 66
July 176
August -98
September -112
October -276
November -220
December -2,194

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) sentenced prisoners and (b) people on remand were held in prisons in England and Wales each month in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 up to the latest date available.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the population of (a) sentenced and (b) remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments for each month in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93. The information for 1991 is published in Prison statistics England and Wales (Table 1.2 from the 1991 edition, Cm 2157)

Table 1.2
Population in custody: by sex and type of custody, annual averages and month end figures, 1986–91
England and Wales: Males and Females
Number of persons
Males Females Males and females
Remand prisoners Sentenced Non-criminal Population in custody Remand prisoners Sentenced Non-criminal Population in custody Population in custody
Untried Convicted unsentenced Young offenders Adults Untried Convicted unsentenced Young offenders Adults
Prison service estabs. Police cells1 Prison service estabs. Police cells1
Annual averages
1986 8,210 78 1,362 8,949 26,409 233 45,241 320 41 70 237 976 5 1,648 46,889
1987 8,743 469 1,479 8,557 27,677 266 47,191 331 68 72 205 1,092 4 1,772 48,963
1988 8,395 1951 1,587 8,156 28,850 221 48,160 403 127 77 190 1,086 6 1,789 49,949
1989 8,204 1100 1,727 7,056 29,543 214 46,843 372 13 93 176 1,117 6 1,767 48,610
1990 7,324 1447 1,749 6,121 28,201 197 44,039 300 84 143 1,066 4 1,597 45,636
1991 7,254 1669 1,845 5,723 28,551 294 44,336 291 11 97 136 1,030 6 1,561 45,897
Month end figures
1989 January 8,594 1275 1,681 7,298 29,343 211 47,402 380 126 88 186 1,096 9 1,785 49,187
February 8,436 1195 1,726 7,386 29,787 226 47,756 364 17 105 183 1,131 16 1,806 49,562
March 8,545 71 1,678 7,227 29,721 235 47,477 394 82 178 1,111 9 1,774 49,251
April 8,407 1108 1,689 7,218 29,784 234 47,440 375 2 94 172 1,134 8 1,785 49,225
May 8,120 1131 1,675 7,117 29,612 227 46,882 374 102 175 1,121 4 1,776 48,658
June 7,943 226 1,845 6,997 29,737 254 47,002 378 4 98 173 1,106 1 1,760 48,762
July 8,102 64 1,870 7,045 29,887 214 47,182 377 99 175 1,115 6 1,772 48,954
August 8,389 20 1,833 6,952 29,255 229 46,678 395 79 173 1,153 3 1,803 48,481
September 8,287 68 1,781 6,965 29,531 220 46,852 366 102 196 1,159 2 1,825 48,677
October 8,190 32 1,784 6,922 29,633 172 46,733 382 100 156 1,111 6 1,755 48,488
November 7,840 4 1,676 6,979 29,740 184 46,423 350 94 203 1,086 2 1,735 48,158
December 7,593 1,486 6,559 28,483 160 44,281 336 70 144 1,087 1,637 45,918
1990 January 8,033 1,727 6,359 28,636 177 44,932 359 84 134 1,117 2 1,696 46,628
February 8,041 1,772 6,338 28,892 186 45,229 325 90 144 1,105 2 1,666 46,895
March 7,970 1,822 6,391 28,890 188 45,261 304 98 132 1,089 4 1,627 46,888
April 7,565 1392 1,602 6,103 28,105 175 43,942 303 81 123 1,067 2 1,576 45,518
May 7,154 1662 1,679 6,127 27,964 187 43,773 280 67 153 1,090 2 1,592 45,365
June 7,033 1628 1,726 6,252 28,027 187 43,853 280 77 154 1,099 3 1,613 45,466
July 7,121 1458 1,707 6,297 28,249 208 44,040 284 47 152 1,095 3 1,581 45,621
August 7,134 1844 1,748 6,114 28,013 212 44,065 296 85 143 1,052 8 1,584 45,649
September 7,174 1752 1,824 5,967 27,965 205 43,887 306 89 153 1,044 9 1,601 45,488
October 6,968 1691 1,909 5,940 28,230 218 43,956 301 105 151 1,036 4 1,597 45,553
November 6,823 1634 1,962 5,940 28,096 213 43,668 297 97 146 1,031 5 1,576 45,244
December 6,878 1299 1,515 5,619 27,344 204 41,859 267 83 136 966 3 1,455 43,314
1991 January 7,180 1423 1,868 5,577 27,709 303 43,060 291 94 138 985 2 1,510 44,570
February 7,246 1443 1,999 5,776 28,054 271 43,789 261 105 146 1,022 1,534 45,323
March 7,072 1523 1,771 5,787 28,147 273 43,573 272 94 136 1,029 2 1,533 45,106
April 7,329 1366 1,796 5,730 28,160 299 43,680 282 88 128 1,024 2 1,524 45,204
May 7,385 1400 1,818 5,761 28,310 315 43,989 322 90 116 1,020 5 1,553 45,542
June 7,074 1605 1,811 5,693 28,531 368 44,082 286 101 110 1,038 9 1,544 45,626
July 6,964 1829 1,848 5,757 28,922 317 44,637 298 100 136 1,084 10 1,628 46,265
August 7,134 1925 1,901 5,696 28,788 268 44,712 308 89 130 1,055 16 1,598 46,310
September 7,462 11,040 1,829 5,798 28,910 272 45,311 311 112 134 1,034 11 1,602 46,913
October 7,514 1966 1,894 5,755 29,198 278 45,605 291 18 124 144 1,043 5 1,615 47,220
November 7,302 1985 1,970 5,827 29,401 286 45,771 291 14 102 161 1,033 7 1,598 47,369
December 7,380 1520 1,635 5,520 28,487 278 43,820 284 62 154 992 7 1,499 45,319
1 Up to 1987 all those in police cells are assumed to be untried remand prisoners. For 1988 onwards estimates have been made of the numbers convicted unsentenced and included with the corresponding prison service establishment figures (see table 1.4). In 1988 the average total population in police cells was 1,047 males and 30 females, in 1989 107 males and three females, in 1990 661 males and in 1991 1,086 males and two females.

Prison population1 by type of custody: England and Wales—January 1992–August 1993
Untried Convicted Unsentenced Total Remand Sentenced Total2
1992
January 8,583 2,078 10,661 35,585 46,566
February 8,679 2,068 10,747 36,540 47,590
March 8,626 2,052 10,678 36,751 47,746
April 8,638 2,008 10,646 36,721 47,738
May 8,299 1,995 10,294 36,057 46,696
June 8,381 2,023 10,404 36,065 46,832
July 8,029 1,913 9,942 36,603 46,875
August 8,207 1,921 10,128 35,929 46,350
September 8,123 1,897 10,020 35,589 45,835

and I enclose a copy of the table. Information on the monthly population in Prison Service establishments for 1992 up to August 1993 (the latest date for which information is available) is given in the attached table.

Untried Convicted Unsentenced Total Remand Sentenced Total2
October 7,436 2,169 9,605 34,019 43,905
November 7,190 2,269 9,459 33,333 43,064
December 6,718 1,772 8,490 31,845 40,606
1993
January 7,175 2,258 9,433 31,793 41,561
February 7,435 2,498 9,933 32,461 42,882
March 7,289 2,707 9,996 32,661 43,195
April 7,472 2,525 9,997 32,796 43,391
May 7,586 2,595 10,181 32,805 43,585
June 7,857 2,775 10,632 33,046 44,246
July 7,810 2,762 10,572 33,653 44,830
August 8,603 2,804 11,407 33,616 45,633
1 Includes prisoners held in police cells.
2 Includes non-criminals.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forecast has been made of the change in the size of the prison population relative to the total capacity of prisons in England and Wales.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the prison population and the total capacity of prisons in England and Wales. The table below compares projections of average population with estimates of the average number of certified normal accommodation (CNA) places available for use to the year 2000–01.

Population CAN
1993–94 46,000 48,900
1994–95 49,400 50,300
1995–96 50,700 52,200
1996–97 51,300 52,500
1997–98 52,300 53,100
1998–99 53,400 53,800
1999–00 54,500 53,800
2000–01 55,700 53,800

The population figures reflect projections which have been revised on an interim basis, reflecting the changes introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1993. The accommodation figures assume that a small proportion of accommodation would be out of use for essential building and repair work. The current projections reflect plans for additional capacity included in the 1992 Public Expenditure Survey. They therefore include only two of the six new prisons announced by the Home Secretary earlier this month.

Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected capacity of prisons in England and Wales for each of the years 1994 to the year 2000.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the projected capacity of prisons in England and Wales. Our current projections for the financial years up to 2000–01 are as follows:

Capacity
1993–94 48,900
1994–95 50,300
1995–96 52,200
1996–97 52,500
1997–98 53,100
1998–99 53,800
1999–2000 53,800
2000–2001 53,800

The figures shown are for average certified normal accommodation places, and assume that a small proportion of accommodation would be out of use for essential building and repair work. The projections reflect plans for additional capacity included in the 1992 Public Expenditure Survey. They therefore include only two of the six new prisons announced by the Home Secretary earlier this month.

Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what preparations he is making to deal with potential prison overcrowding; and what plans there are to use(a) police cells, (b) temporary buildings or portakabins and (c) prison ships or barges.

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 D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about preparations to deal with prison overcrowding. The Prison Service is making every effort to deal with the increasing prison population without recourse to police cells. There are no immediate plans to use temporary buildings or accommodation barges, although both have been actively considered. The approach currently being taken is to seek to use: existing Prison Service capacity to the fullest extent possible, having close regard to the safety of staff and inmates. This approach includes work to reclaim, where possible, inmate accommodation currently being used for other purposes.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of inmates of the Wolds and Blakenhurst prisons, respectively; and what plans he has to bring them up to their full complement.

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 D. Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of inmates at Wolds and Blakenhurst prisons. Group 4 are contracted to hold a maximum of 320 prisoners in Wolds remand prison. The roll at unlock on 14 October was 323. Blakenhurst has a target to fill at the rate of approximately 100 prisoners per month, giving a current target of 500 by 26 October. Despite difficulties with the water supply which caused a delay in taking prisoners in August and September, the roll at unlock on 14 October was 531.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the prison population in March 1990; what is the population now; what is the current monthly level of change; and what plans he has to use police cells.

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 D. Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 18 October 1993: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the prison population and police cells. The prison population on 30 March 1990 was 47,304 and on 15 October 1993 was 46,935. The monthly change (on the basis of last Friday in the month figures) so far this year has been as follows:

Number
January +884
February +1,249
March +368
April +116
May +659
June +301
July +926
August +489
September +533

We are making every effort to avoid any recourse to police cells. To this end we are making adjustments to the way the Prison Service's estate is used and we are taking action to ensure that all possible inmate accommodation is made operational.