§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the award of contracts for the prison and court escort services in(a) East Anglia, (b) Merseyside, (c) north Wales and (d) the north of England; and what is the proposed timetable for their implementation.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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.
470WLetter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 24 October 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the announcing of the award of contracts for the prison and court escort services in various areas.Tenders for the court escort and custody service in East Anglia (Area 4), the North West and North Wales (Area 6), and the North of England (Area 8) were received on 19 September and are being considered. The Prisons Board should make its decision on contract award by the end of the year.All three areas will be phased in. It is currently planned that Area 4 will commence contracted operation in July 1995 and will be fully operational by January 1996; Area 6 will start in August 1995 and be fully operational by February 1996; and Area 8 will commence in September 1995 and be fully operational by March 1996.