§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have escaped since 1 April while in the custody of(a) prison officers, (b) police officers and (c) Group 4 officers.
§ 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 to Mr. Martin Redmond from Derek Lewis, dated 25 October 1993.
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners who have escaped since 1 April 1993 whilst in the custody of (a) prison officers; (b) police officers; and (c) Group 4 officers.The total number of prisoners who have escaped from prison custody since 1 April 1993 to date is 215. Of this 108 escaped from within establishments and 107 from escort.The following table shows in whose custody the prisoners were when the escapes took place:
Number Prison officers (within prison service establishments) 108 Prison officers (escorts) 92 Group 4 custody officers (within HMP The Wolds) — Group 4 custody officers (escorts) (HMP The Wolds) 1 Group 4 custody officers (court escort service) 13 UKDS custody officers (within HMP Blankenhurst) — UKDS custody officers (escorts) (HMP Blankenhurst) 1 TOTAL 215 The number of prisoners who have escaped from police custody is not recorded centrally.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial penalty has been imposed on Group 4 in respect of prisoners who have escaped while in its custody; 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 to Mr. Martin Redmond from Derek Lewis, dated 25 October 1993:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about escapes of prisoners from the custody of Group 4.No financial penalty has been imposed on Group 4 in respect of such escapes. Past experience of both the police and the Prison Service has shown that it is not possible to eliminate escapes from escort, other than at unacceptable cost and with the use of unacceptable methods. Group 4 has faced the same difficulties.