§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria have been drawn up on which to base a decision to market-test failing public sector prisons; which prisons are now being considered for market testing; and if he will make a statement. [110458]
§ Mr. BoatengI have asked the Director General of the Prison Service to put forward proposals on how prisons which continually fail to meet the standards required of them should be subjected to market-testing. No decision has been made on the criteria to be used, and there is no list of prisons being considered for market-testing.
§ Jackie BallardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2000,Official Report, columns 233–34W, on prisons, for what reason he did not include information on plans to open new prisons in the next five years. [110446]
§ Mr. BoatengI regret that the information about new prisons was omitted in error from my reply of 27 January 2000,Official Report, columns 233–34W. The table shows new prisons scheduled to open in the next five years. 813W
New prisons planned Prison Rye Hill Marchington Location Near Rugby Staffordshire CNA (Certified Normal Accommodation) 600 800 (including 200 place therapeutic community) Costs at net present value1 (£ million) 154 240 Operator Group 4 Premier Prison Services Opening date January 2001 July 2001 1 The "cost at NPV" is the total cost of designing, constructing, financing and managing the prison over the 25 year life of the contract, expressed in Net Present Value (NPV) terms