§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what ministerial approval was given to the Director General of the Prison Service to change the current indicator used for recording assaults by prisoners on prison officers and other inmates from one based on adjudications for disciplinary offences to one based on the seriousness of the assault; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the change on the assault figures. [28103]
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe current key performance indicator for assaults in the Prison Service has not been changed. The Prison Service's business plan for 1995–96, which was approved by my right hon. and learned Friend, explains that the Prison Service is developing proposals for new indicators of its performance for introduction in 1996–97. These will include a new measure of serious assaults as a possible replacement for the current indicator which is based on proven adjudications for disciplinary offences relating to assault. Under the terms of the Prison Service's framework document, any such change in the service's key performance indicators will be subject to agreement by the Home Secretary, the director general, the Treasury and the Office of Public Service and Science. The Prison Service will, in any event, continue to collect information about all reported assaults on staff and prisoners and disciplinary proceedings relating to such assaults.