§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which account relating to the escape of six prisoners from Whitemoor prison on the evening of 9 September 1994 has been logged as the official account; [17126]
(2) how many different accounts have been given by prison officers relating to the escape of six prisoners from Whitemoor prison; and if he will make a statement; [17127]
(3) at what time the escape at Whitemoor prison on 9 September 1994 commenced; and at what time the video taped recordings of the escape began; [17128]
(4) in whose custody is the video tape from camera 27 recording part of the escape of six prisoners from Whitemoor prison on 9 September 1994; and if he will make a statement; [17129]
(5) if the assistant governor of Whitemoor prison entered the control room at 20:15 hours on 9 September 1994; [17130]
(6) why the second officer in the control room of Whitemoor prison on the evening of 9 September 1994 during the escape of six prisoners was not called to give evidence to (a) the police and (b) the Woodcock inquiry team. [17131]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answers 25 February 1997]: The circumstances surrounding the escape from Her Majesty's prison Whitemoor on 9 September 1994 were the subject of a full inquiry by Sir John Woodcock. He was asked to report his conclusions and make recommendations on any action that should be taken to avoid any recurrence. The report of Sir John Woodcock's 429W inquiry was published on 19 December 1994 and a copy is available in the Library. The actual escape and the shooting of a prison officer were the subject of a separate criminal investigation by the Cambridgeshire constabulary.
I understand that neither Sir John Woodcock nor the Cambridgeshire constabulary was able to establish the precise time at which the escape began. However, it appears that staff in the emergency control room became aware of the escape at about 8:09pm and that video recording of the camera footage was manually activated shortly afterwards. The duty governor entered the emergency control room at approximately 8:15pm. I understand that none of the three video recorders in operation in the emergency control room that evening recorded images from camera 27.
The conduct of the Woodcock inquiry and of the police investigation are matters for Sir John Woodcock and the Cambridgeshire constabulary respectively. However, I understand that all five members of staff in the emergency control room at the time of the escape were interviewed by the Cambridgeshire constabulary.