§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes are planned in prisoner numbers at HMP(a) Armley, (b) Brixton, (c) Ford, (d) Full Sutton, (e) Hull, (f) Lindholme, (g) Moorland, (h) 703W Pentonville, (j) Wandsworth, (k) Wolds and (l) Wormwood Scrubs over the next five years; 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 A. J. Butler to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 19 January 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about prisoner numbers at 11 prison establishments.
The number of prisoners received by the Prison Service is not directly subject to planning but depends upon the decisions of the courts. In order to cater for expected growth in the population, the Prison Service is planning to build six new prisons and is preparing plans to build new places in existing establishments. Final decisions have not yet been taken on which prisons will have their capacity expanded. These are, therefore, no firm proposals to build new accommodation in any of the establishments you list.