§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current average annual cost of keeping a prisoner in a penal establishment.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch):Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Baroness David from the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, Mr. Richard Tilt, dated 27 November 1995:
Lady Blatch has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the current average annual cost of keeping a prisoner in a penal establishment.
The average annual net operating cost per prisoner place in 1993–94, the latest year for which figures have been published, was £22,712.