§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of assaults,(a) by prisoners on prison officers, and (b) by prisoners on prisoners at Her Majesty's prison, Doncaster during the financial year 1995–96; and what were the average rates for its public sector equivalent comparator group. [29820]
§ 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.
245WLetter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 22 May 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for the number of assaults at Doncaster prison during the financial year 1995–96 and the average rates for its public sector equivalent comparator group.As I stated in my reply of 23 April (col. 90), a report has been commissioned from consultants Coopers and Lybrand to assess the relative costs and performance of contractually managed prisons against comparable establishments in the public sector during 1994/5. This report will be published soon and I will write to you, following publication, with information on the periods mentioned in your Questions.