HC Deb 10 July 1996 vol 281 c171W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last 12 months private taxis have been used to transport prisoners(a) to and (b) from Doncaster prison; what category were the prisoners on each occasion; and if he will make a statement. [36295]

Miss Widdecombe

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 Brian Landers to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 10 July 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the use of taxis to escort prisoners at Doncaster prison.Taxis are used at Doncaster prison to take prisoners to and from hospital appointments at short notice.During the last 12 months, 65 prisoners were escorted from the prison using taxis. Of these, 52 were category B, five were category C and eight were category D. There is no record of the number of prisoners arriving at Doncaster by taxi.