HC Deb 25 January 1999 vol 324 c73W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number of staff on establishment at Feltham Young Offenders Institution when it is at full strength; and what is the current number of staff at Feltham; [67048]

(2) when it is planned to end doubled-up cell accommodation at Feltham Young Offenders Institution. [67047]

Mr. George Howarth

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 21 January 1999,Official Report, column 554.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders on remand at Feltham Young Offenders' Unit were locked in their cells for 22 hours or more on any day between July and October 1998. [66399]

Mr. George Howarth

The Prison Service records time out of cell for prisoners by establishment. Recording of time out of cell is not broken down between remand and convicted prisoners and separate figures could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Between 29 June and 12 December 1998 at Feltham Young Offenders Institution, the average time out of cell for wings which held remand prisoners, was 22.5 hours per week. It is not possible to identify which prisoners did not receive more than two hours out of cell as the figures available are calculated on a wing rather than an individual basis.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the practice of doubling up on cell accommodation at Feltham is planned to end. [66400]

Mr. George Howarth

At the end of December 1998, 14 prisoners at Feltham were located in seven cells designed for one. Steps are being taken to address this issue and doubling is expected to cease at Feltham shortly.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 aged(a) 5 to 17 years and (b) 17 to 21 years were held in the health care centre at Feltham Young Offenders Unit between October 1997 and December 1998. [66395]

Mr. George Howarth

Between October 1997 and December 1998, seven prisoners aged from 15 to 17 and 39 aged from 18 to 21 were transferred to hospital from Feltham Young Offenders Institution by direction of the Home Secretary under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983. The majority will have been held in the health care centre before being transferred.