Prison Service Resources (Hansard, 16 February 1998)

§ Lord Williams of Mostyn

Following the Audit of Prison Service Resources last summer, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary made available to the Prison Service additional funding of £43 million over two years to increase capacity and regime activity. In the event, the service has done well in containing costs and has not had to call on the extra provision for 1997–98.

My right honourable friend is now making available £112 million in 1998–99 on top of the existing budget of £1,704 million.

This will be used to fund continued use of Her Majesty's Prison Weare, to build six more houseblocks, to fund conversion of accommodation to cell usage to hold extra prisoners in new prisons and to carry out repairs on the prison estate. It provides additional staffing and funding for regime activities, to keep prisoners constructively occupied.

With this money, this Government have provided for 1,540 new places in prisons and have supported the placing of an additional 2,280 prisoners in existing accommodation.