§ Ms JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department will take to improve conditions at Holloway prison; and what extra resources will be made available for this. [11514]
§ 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.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 31 January 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Holloway prison.A new governor has recently been appointed at Holloway prison and tasked with improving conditions there. As part of the improvement process, a new health care manager has been appointed, who is carrying out a full review of health care services at Holloway. Sixteen additional prison officers have also been drafted into Holloway from other prisons on a temporary basis.An additional £300,000 was provided to Holloway last October to recruit and train 25 additional new staff who will take up post in January and February this year, which will enable a fuller regime to operate in the prison.An external contractor, with expertise in pest control, is now working in Holloway and has made progress in eradicating rats and other vermin.