HC Deb 24 October 1995 vol 264 cc540-1W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) male and (b) female prisoners currently share two to a cell designed for (i) one and (ii) two; [38292]

(2) how many (a) female and (b) male prisoners currently share a cell with three or more other inmates; and if he will make a statement; [38290]

(3) how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners currently share three to a cell designed for (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three. [38291]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for these matters 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 24 October 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about cell sharing in the Prison Service.

The only information recorded centrally is about the number of prisoners sharing two and three to a cell designed for one. At the end of September 1995 there were no prisoners sharing three to a cell designed for one. On that date there were 8,440 male prisoners and 56 female prisoners sharing two to a cell designed for one.