§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times during the last 12 months prison officers were required to work a double shift at Doncaster prison; and what was the reason for the requirement; [35006]
(2) how many prison officers have been seconded during the last 12 months to Doncaster prison; from which prison establishment they came; and if Her Majesty's inspectorate of prisons was informed of the seconded prison officers working at Doncaster prison when it visited the prison; [35014]
(3) how many prison officers have been seconded during the last 12 months from Doncaster prison; to which prison establishment they went; and if Her Majesty's inspectorate of prisons was informed of the Doncaster seconded prison officers when it visited the prison. [35012]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for these matters 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 Alan Walker to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 1 July 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about staffing at Doncaster prison.
307WPremier Prison Services' policy is not to operate double shifts and there is no record of staff working double shifts, neither have any prison officers been seconded to Doncaster prison in the last 12 months. However, five prisoner custody officers, who were attending a control and restraint course at the national training centre on 15 November 1995, were seconded to Full Sutton prison for two days to assist in quelling a disturbance. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons was made aware of this incident and the use of Premier Prison Services' staff during the inspection in March 1996.