§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales that had surplus cell capacity as of 8 July.
§ 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.
177WLetter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 19 July 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about surplus cell capacity.
The attached list shows the prisons which held a smaller number of prisoners than their certified normal accommodation on 8 July 1994. Current population pressures and daily fluctuations in prisoner numbers mean that none of the spaces empty on that date can be regarded as surplus to our needs.
Local prisons and remand centres, which receive prisoners directly from courts on a daily basis, must have sufficient capacity to accept unpredictable numbers of prisoners. Vacancies in training prisons, where there is normally no overcrowding, are filled in groups so that efficient use is made of prisoner escorting arrangements. This can lead to some under occupation of training prison places.
When new prisons are opened, the capacity available is filled gradually to assist in maintaining stability. This is currently the position at Doncaster.
Establishments with population below CNA in use of 8 July 1994 Acklington Kingston Albany Kirklevington Aldington Lancaster Ash well Latchmere House Askham Grange Leyhill Aylesbury Lindholme Bedford Littlehey Belmarsh Long Lartin Blakenhurst Kirkham Blundeston Maidstone Brinsford Moorland Brockhill Morton Hill Bullingdon Nottingham Bullwood Hall Onley Castington Oxford Channings Wood Parkhurst Coldingley Portland Dartmoor Prescoed Deerbolt Ranby Doncaster Reading Dover Risley Downview Rochester Drake Hall Rudgate Elmley Send Erlestoke Spring Hill Everthorpe Standford Hill Featherstone Stoke Heath Feltham Sudbury Ford Swalesside Foston Hall The Mount Frankland The Verne Full Sutton The Wolds Garth Thorn Cross Gartree Thorp Arch Grendon Usk Guys Marsh Wakefield Hatfield Wayland Haverigg Wellingborough Highdown Wellington Highpoint Wetherby Hollesley Bay Whatton Holloway Whitemoor Holme House Woodhill Huntercombe Wymott