HC Deb 17 April 1996 vol 275 cc512-3W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the differences between the ratio of prison officers with non-medical responsibilities to prisoners at Buckley Hall and those at male category C prisons, in respect of all shifts. [24278]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 3 April 1996]: 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 Richard Tilt to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 17 April 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the differences between the ratio of prison officers with non-medical responsibilities to prisoners at Buckley Hall prison and those at male category C prisons, in respect of all shifts. The information requested, as at 1 April, is shown in the attached table. health care provision at Buckley Hall prison is contracted-out and so the ratio of staff to inmates includes all prisoner custody officers. The ratio for male category C prisons includes establishments where only a proportion of the prison population is made up of category C prisoners. The staffing ratio for these prisons comprises prison officers, senior officers and principal officers. Information concerning the impact of shift patterns on the staffing ratio is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Staffing ratios for non health care staff to prisoners
Establishment Staff: Inmate ratio
Buckley Hall 1:2.7
Male category C training establishments 1:2.1

Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners required medical treatment following the break-in by prisoners of the hospital at Buckley Hall in August 1994; how many received medical treatment in local hospitals; and who was responsible for the payment of the health care received by them. [24283]

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 3 April 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 17 April 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners requiring medical treatment following the break-in by prisoners to the hospital at Buckley Hall prison in August 1994; and who was responsible for the payment for the healthcare which they received. No prisoner required medical treatment in the 24-hour period following the break-in by prisoners to the hospital at Buckley Hall prison in August 1994. One prisoner subsequently received medical treatment in a local hospital and was returned to the prison. The Regional Health Authority responsible for the area in which this prisoner normally resided would be charged for his treatment.

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