§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will estimate the number of items that have been(a) smuggled into and (b) thrown over the fence of Doncaster prison since it was opened; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of total smuggling caused by items being (i) brought in and (ii) thrown over the prison fence; [31496]
(2) if he will make a statement on the training given to prison officers at Doncaster prison in suicide awareness; and if he will list the dates when this training has been reviewed; [31440]
(3) how many hours of education and training were available to prisoners and those on remand at Doncaster prison during the last 12 months; how many hours were used by inmates; and if he will make a statement. [31485]
§ 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 11 June 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about education and training; training in suicide awareness; and estimates of smuggling at Doncaster prison.
Over the last 12 months, 179,419 hours of education and training were made available to prisoners at Doncaster prison, including those on remand, of which 127,623 hours were used by prisoners.
Every prison custody officer at Doncaster prison receives a minimum of four hours suicide awareness training before they take up post. This is supplemented with a minimum of four further training sessions as part of the annual training plan in the prison. The suicide awareness training is reviewed monthly by the establishment's suicide awareness management group.
64WIt is not possible to estimate the number of items that have either been smuggled into or thrown over the wall at Doncaster prison. A total of 87 visitors have been arrested for attempting to smuggle either money or drugs into the prison and nearly 500 prisoners have been charged for possession of drugs.
Any contraband found in Doncaster will have been smuggled in as it is not possible to throw items over the wall. This is because the prison operates a system of enclosed secure walkways and prisoners do not have access to areas next to the wall. The wall is also continually monitored internally and externally by closed circuit television.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rehabilitation courses are currently held at Doncaster prison; how many applications have been made to attend these classes; what has been the number of places available in each month since the opening of the prison; and if he will make a statement. [31564]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter have 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 Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 11 June 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about rehabilitation courses at Doncaster prison.
Doncaster prison runs a selection of rehabilitation courses which are available to all prisoners there. They are provided over a two to three month period to meet the changing needs of prisoners. There is a major emphasis on cognitive thinking skills as a generic programme which is appropriate for all prisoners.
Doncaster prison runs courses on alcohol misuse, drug rehabilitation, anger management, relationships, lifer groups, social skills, life skills (personal development) and parenting. There are also pre-release/employment courses, presentation workshops and gamblers anonymous and alcoholics anonymous courses. Probation staff also advise prisoners about employment, housing, training and unemployment benefits.
In May 1996 there were 267 applications for rehabilitation courses at Doncaster prison. Between January 1995 and May 1996, 1910 prisoners applied for and have received individual guidance interviews concerning employment, education, training, housing and state benefits.
The numbers of places available for rehabilitation courses since the prison has opened are shown in the attached table.
Numbers of places available on rehabilitation courses at Doncaster prison since the prison opened 1994 1995 1996 January — 81 228 February — 69 284 March — 89 314 April — 115 326 May — 185 324 June 37 132 — July 57 147 — August 49 156 — September 85 225 — October 37 165 — November 37 305 — December 49 230 —
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to making Doncaster prison a mixed prison; and if he will make a statement. [31563]
65W
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 11 June 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about consideration being given to making Doncaster a mixed prison.
Although Doncaster holds both adult and young offenders, there are no plans to change it to a mixed-sex prison.