HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc847-9W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of prison transfers in Great Britain in the last 12 months. [21256]

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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 20 March 1997: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the cost of prison transfers in Great Britain in the last 12 months. to or from prison, (c) attempted to escape from a prison,(d) attempted to escape from an escort to or from prison.(e) absconded from a prison, (f) escaped from custody while in a hospital undergoing medical treatment and (g) attempted to escape from custody while in a hospital undergoing medical treatment; and how many of (f) and (g) were (i) pregnant and (ii) in labour. The information is contained in the attached table with the exception of answer to (f) (i), (ii) and (g) (i), (ii). This information is not held centrally. Information is not held centrally on the cost of transfers to and from prisons in England and Wales, other than the costs of contracted-out escort services which amounted to £47 million in 1995–96. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for their Secretaries of State.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred from prisons in Great Britain to Northern Ireland since 1 November 1995. [21257]

Miss Widdecombe

Since 1 November 1995, 21 prisoners have been transferred, either on a permanent basis or for a temporary period, from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland. Transfers from Scotland to other jurisdictions are a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prison transfers by United Kingdom region in the last three years. [21255]

Miss Widdecombe

The number of prisoners transferred, on either a permanent or a temporary basis, between England and Wales and other United Kingdom jurisdictions in the last three years, are given in the tables.

Prisoner transfers from England and Wales to other Unix Kingdom jurisdictions
1994 1995 1996
Scotland 25 35 17
Northern Ireland 21 16 15
Jersey 8 7 7
Guernsey 1 1 1
Isle of Man 0 1 3
Prisoner transfers to England and Wales from other United Kingdom jurisdictions
1994 1995 1996
Scotland 55 46 28
Northern Ireland 2 3 2
Jersey 6 24 21
Guernsey 2 5 8
Isle of Man 1 6 2

Information on transfers not involving England and Wales is not held centrally and is a matter for the relevant United Kingdom jurisdiction.