HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1443-4W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by company the number of ex-Prison Service personnel who now work for private prison and escort contractors, the dates on which they joined, and their present duties with those companies. [36200]

Miss Widdecombe

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. Doug Hoyle, dated 19 July 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of former Prison Service personnel who now work for companies running contractually managed prisons and court escort services, the dates on which they joined and their present duties with those companies. Much of the information requested is unavailable centrally, as it is for the contractors to recruit, train and employ their own staff. Under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the directors of contractually managed prisons have to be approved by the Home Secretary. The Directors of Blankenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster and Wolds prisons were all previously employed by the Prison Service.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to the Prison Service of training staff who have left the Prison Service to join private prison and escort contractors. [36201]

Miss Widdecombe

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. Doug Hoyle, dated 19 July 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the cost to the Prison Service of training staff who have left the Prison Service join private prisons and escort contractors. The information requested is not available as we do not, in general, record details of the jobs subsequently taken by staff who have resigned or retired from the prison Service. Staff below grade 3 level are only required to seek approval for outside employment in certain specified circumstances, for a period of two years after leaving Crown employment.