§ Mr. StringerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the outcome of his review of the powers of controllers at contracted out prisons which he announced on 19 June 1997. [55924]
§ Mr. StrawI have carefully reviewed the existing powers of controllers at privately managed prisons and have decided that, broadly, the current arrangements should be retained. Increasing the powers of controllers would reduce the contractors' operational responsibility for managing the prisons. The essence of contracting out is that optimum risk should be transferred to the private sector; efficient contract enforcement would seem to be the best way to ensure value for money from these contracts.