Blakenhurst Prison (Hansard, 7 March 1994)

§ Mr. Terry Davis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held at Blakenhurst prison on 28 February; and what category has been given to this prison.

§ 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Terry Davis, dated 7 March 1994:
13W
HM Prison Blakenhurst The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking about the number of prisoners at Blakenhurst prison on 28 February, and what category has been given to the prison. On 28 February 574 prisoners were held in Blakenhurst, which is a category 13 local prison.

§ Mr. Terry Davis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is the Home Office representative at Blakenhurst prison; what is his job title; and what are his responsibilities.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The Prison Service representative at Her Majesty's prison Blakenhurst is a controller appointed under section 85(1)(b) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. The controller is a governor III and he is supported by a deputy controller and a secretary. Responsibilities of controllers are set out in section 85(4) of the same Act.

§ Mr. Terry Davis
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken by his Department to ensure that Mr. Bernard Higgins is a suitable person to be director of Blakenhurst prison.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
Under section 85(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 every contracted-out prison has to have a director who must be a prisoner custody officer specially approved and appointed by the Secretary of State. A person may not be appointed as a prisoner custody officer unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to perform the relevant functions and has received training to the standard appropriate for the performance of those functions.
The Secretary of State was so satisfied in the case of Mr. Higgins, who was formerly a governor in the Prison Service, and gave approval for his appointment as director in October 1993.

§ Ms Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 2 March, Official Report, columns 738–40, how many units of accommodation are temporarily unusable;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 2 March, Official Report, columns 738–40. how many prisoners have been transferred to other prisons; and if he will name the prisons.

§ 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 Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 7 March 1994: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Blakenhurst prison. No cell accommodation at Blakenhurst was made unusable as a result of the incident there on 24 February but a control room and office accommodation, which are essential for control purposes, were damaged. The certified normal accommodation (649) has therefore been temporarily reduced to 590 to enable repairs to be carried out and to ensure that control is maintained. The normal occupancy level will be resumed in the week beginning 7 March. 61 prisoners were transferred following the incident to other prisons. The establishments concerned were Pentonville, Highdown, Wormwood Scrubs, Norwich, Elmley, Bullingdon, Belmarsh, Shrewsbury, Winchester and Birmingham prisons.