HC Deb 29 November 1995 vol 267 cc776-7W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) sentenced and (b) remand prisoners were held at Doncaster prison on the 17th day of each of the last 12 months. [2397]

Miss Widdercombe

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 from Richard Tilt to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many (a) sentenced and (b) remand prisoners were held at Doncaster prison on the 17th day of each of the last twelve months. The information requested is given in the table.

Number of sentenced and remand prisoners held at Her Majesty's Prison Doncaster during the last 12 months
Sentenced Remand
17 December 1994 345 383
17 January 1995 386 388
17 February 1995 375 381
17 March 1995 363 394
17 April 1995 360 365
17 May 1995 416 340
17 June 1995 404 326
17 July 1995 417 332
17 August 1995 416 361
17 September 1995 386 362
17 October 1995 414 361
17 November 1995 444 333

Ms Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of(a) the number of prison places that will be available by 1 January 1996 and (b) the number of convicted and remand prisoners being held by that date. [1681]

Miss Widdecombe

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 from Richard Tilt to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 29 November 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prison places that will be available by 1 January 1996 and the estimated number of convicted and remand prisoners being held by that date. The Certified Normal Accommodation available for use in prisons in England and Wales on 23 November 1995 was 51,328. Approximately 140 additional places are expected to be available, following modernisation and refurbishment, by 1 January 1996. The latest short-term projection (produced in October) indicates that the prison population at the end of December 1995 will be around 50,000, due to the seasonal downturn at the end of the year. Remand prisoners are assumed to be just over 10,000, sentenced prisoners around 39,000 and non-criminal prisoners around 600.