§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the expected age range of the prisoner population at HMP and Young Offenders Institution Ashfield; what are the expected average numbers for each age group within the prisoner population; what specific training has been given to staff to care for each specific age group; when he expects the establishment to become overcrowded; and if he will make a statement. [110460]
811W
§ Mr. BoatengAshfield is certified to hold 400 male offenders between the ages of 15 and 21. It is expected that 300 of these will be aged under 18. Under the terms of its contract, the prison can be asked to hold up to 40 prisoners above its uncrowded capacity. However, the level of overcrowding and when this might occur will be dependent on prison population pressures.
All prison custody officers at Ashfield have received 40 hours of training on working with adolescents in addition to their normal six weeks of general training.
§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prisoner population at HMP Young Offenders Institution Ashfield; when it will reach capacity; what incidents have been reported at the establishment since it opened; what is the current staff/prisoner ratio; what is the staff/prisoner ratio at full capacity; of serving prisoner custody officers, how many have experience of working in a young offenders institute run by the Prison Service; what is the ratio of managers to prisoner custody officers; and how many managers have had experience of working in Prison Service establishments. [110454]
§ Mr. BoatengAs at 16 February 2000, the prisoner population of Ashfield was 264. Under the terms of the contract, Ashfield was required to have 400 places available by 3 January 2000, and this was achieved. The rate of at which Ashfield fills will depend on the numbers of prisoners committed to custody by the courts.
Incidents reported since Ashfield opened are detailed in the table.
Four prison custody officers have previously worked in Prison Service establishments, three of them in Young Offender Institutions. Eleven managers have previously worked in Prison Service establishments. Staff ratios at Ashfield are a matter for the contractor.
Incidents at Her Majesty's Prison/Young Offenders Institution Ashfield since 1 November 1999 Number Fights 23 Self harm 16 Fire (minor) 4 Key incident 1 Possession of drugs 4 Proven adjudications for assaults 45 Tool loss 1