HC Deb 07 December 1999 vol 340 cc505-6W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of parking places at prisons in England and Wales and of the use made of these by prison officers and civilian staff. [101838]

Mr. Boateng

No central record is kept of the number of staff car parking places which exist on the prison estate or of the frequency of use. The Prison Service recognises the need to reduce dependency on the private motor vehicle and endeavours to ensure that car parking at new prisons being planned is kept to the minimum level operationally acceptable.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent of parking places at police premises in England and Wales and of the use made of them by police officers and civilian staff. [101839]

Mr. Charles Clarke

None. The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

An Audit Commission report published in March this year recommended that all police forces undertake a strategic review of their estate with a view to identifying efficiency savings through rationalisation and better use of resources. Such reviews are likely to include the availability of parking spaces for operational and staff vehicles.