§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average amount of time per week spent in purposeful activity by young offenders, in each unit, at Feltham Young Offenders Unit, in each of the last three years. [80020]
§ Mr. George HowarthAt Feltham, records of purposeful activity are not compiled by individual unit, but the figures can be broken down by sections of the population. For 1996–97 and 1997–98, figures can be provided for remand, convicted, therapeutic and new arrivals. For 1998–99, the categories are convicted, remand-short stay, health care centre and segregation/ Waite (anti-bullying) Unit. Purposeful activity is defined as work (including cleaning), education, physical education and church services. The figures are shown in the table.
Average hours of purposeful activity: HMY01 Feltham Year/Section of population Average purposeful activity per inmate per week (hours) 1996–97 Convicted 32.14 Remand 17.40 Therapeutics 28.01 Arrivals 15.12 1996–97 Convicted 26.93 Remand 16.45 Therapeutics 20.01 Arrivals 14.66 1997–981 Units B, C, D and E (convicted) 28.94 Units F, G, Hon. and J (convicted) 14.39 Units K, 0 and S (rem/Short stay) 16.64 Units L, M and N (rem/short stay) 10.36 Units P, Q and R (rem/short stay) 23.34 Health care centre 7.85 Segregation/Waite Unit 6.39 1Up to and including February 1999
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on conditions at Feltham Young Offenders Unit. [79882]
§ Mr. George HowarthThere has not been a marked decline in conditions at Feltham as suggested in the recent report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons. It is accepted that progress has been slow in improving conditions in some areas, although there have been many improvements since the Chief Inspector's last visit. The general cleanliness of the establishment can and will be improved, but there is a problem in only a minority of areas within the prison. New cleaning schedules and arrangements for inspection have now been introduced to ensure that cleaning takes place.
The problems experienced at Feltham are due mainly to the population pressures being experienced across the prison estate and the industrial relations climate at Feltham. There have also been difficulties in recruiting staff. Remedial action is being taken in an attempt to 18W improve recruitment at Feltham, and hence regime provision. Ten new officers are due to start training in April.
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average amount of time per day that young offenders were locked in their cells, in each unit, at Feltham Young Offenders Unit, in each of the last three years. [80019]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Prison Service records time out of cell for purposeful activity (work, education and church services) and association. There is no record of other absences from cells, for example for meals, visits and court appearances.
At Feltham, records of time out of cell are not compiled by individual unit, but the figures can be broken down by sections of the population. For 1996–97 and 1997–98, figures can be provided for remand, convicted, therapeutic and new arrivals. For 1998–99, the categories are convicted, remand/short stay, health care centre and segregation/Waite (anti-bullying) Unit. The figures are shown in the table.
Average time out of cell: HMYOL Feltham Year Section of population Average time out of cell per inmate per week (hours) 1996–97 Convicted 52.87 Remand 42.76 Therapeutics 46.16 Arrivals 29.08 1997–98 Convicted 47.06 Remand 45.57 Therapeutics 38.53 Arrivals 29.56 1998–991 Units B, C, D. and E. (convicted) 42.75 Units F, G, H. and J. (convicted) 24.51 Units K, 0. and S. (rem/short stay) 44.00 Units L, M. and N. (rem/short stay) 19.54 Units P, Q. and R. (rem/short stay) 30.57 Health care centre 9.07 Segregation/Waite Unit2 11.55 1Up to and including February 1999 2Sample figure for week 49; average figure unavailable
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take following the publication of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons' report on Feltham Young Offenders Unit; and if he will make a statement. [79881]
§ Mr. George HowarthOn receipt of the Chief Inspector's report, the Director General of the Prison Service established a taskforce to remedy the shortcomings which had been identified. The taskforce, led by a senior governor, has charted a plan for improvement which will be implemented over the next six months.
Already, additional finance has been allocated for urgent capital spending, and major refurbishment work will start in the next financial year. More immediate improvements to cleaning schedules and mattress and 19W blanket provision are already in hand, and additional work and education for approximately 80 prisoners will be brought on stream in the summer.