§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of the site of the former Ashford (Middlesex) remand centre.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 7 March 1995]: 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. David Wilshire, dated 9 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the future of the site of the former Ashford (Middlesex) Remand Centre.No decisions have yet been taken regarding the future of this site. The Prison Service's estate strategy recognises a need for additional accommodation by the end of the century and sites are still being sought for some of the new prisons announced by the Home Secretary in 1993. Current assessments of future needs indicate that Ashford is not an ideal location for meeting future population pressures. Other sites are being sought but Ashford may be considered if more suitable locations are not available.