HC Deb 30 March 1995 vol 257 cc807-8W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will itemise where the costs fall for prisoners held(a) in police cells and (b) by the Prison Service. [16392]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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. George Howarth, dated 30 March 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking where the costs fall for prisoners held (a) in police cells and (b) by the Prison Service. As a general principle, the Prison Service reimburses police authorities for all reasonable additional costs incurred by them as a result of the police holding prisoners, when these are duties which would normally be undertaken by Prison Service staff. These costs are met from the provision voted by Parliament to cover the costs of the Prison Service, as are the costs of all prisoners held directly by the Prison Service.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost per prisoner per night(a) of a prisoner held in a police cell and (b) of a prisoner held in the custody of the Prison Service. [16391]

escapes from prison establishments and from escorts for each of the past 12 months in England and Wales. [16259]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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. George Howarth, dated 30 March 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for the total numbers of escapes from prison establishments and from escort for the past 12 months in England and Wales. The information is shown in the table below:

Mr. Michael Forsyth

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. George Howarth, dated 30 March 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question on the average cost per night (a) of a prisoner held in a police cell and (b) of a prisoner held in the custody of the Prison Service. In 1993–94 the average daily cost of holding a prisoner in a police cell was £250. The average net operating cost per prisoner place, for prisoners held within Prison Service establishments, was £22,712 per year, which produces a daily cost of approximately £62.