§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what capital expenditure for the financial year 1996–97 for prisons in England and Wales will be dropped or revised as a result of the recent cost reductions; and what proportion this represents of total capital expenditure. [13278]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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.
109WLetter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth, dated 6 February 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what capital expenditure for the financial year 1996–97 for prisons in England and Wales will be dropped or revised as a result of the recent cost reductions; and what proportion this represents of total capital expenditure.The provisional capital budget for 1996–97 was £204 million. The final settlement was £117 million, representing a fall of 43% from the provisional budget. The Prison Service is currently deciding which projects to start in 1996–97 within its capital allocation and which capital projects can be started under the Private Finance Initiative.