HL Deb 25 May 2000 vol 613 cc113-4WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list the initiatives on which the Prison Service spent money without contractual backing in 1999–2000, giving in each case the name of the initiative and the money spent. [HL2468]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)

The Prison Service does not have any information available centrally about initiatives operating without contractual backing.

A new Prison Service instruction is to be issued shortly which documents overall strategies, procurement best practice, mandatory instructions and carries with it a revised system of contractual delegations. A copy will be sent to the noble Lord and copies placed in the Library when it is published.

I understand that the noble Lord is primarily interested in expenditure on the KAIROS/APAC projects which were operating in three prisons; the Verne, Swaleside and Highpoint under partnership agreements until June 1999.

Money spent on these projects during the financial year 1999–2000 amounted to a total of £41,075. The amounts spent by each establishment in that financial year and, in total, are given in the table.

Payments made by the Prison Service to KAIROS/APAC Trust
Payments Made Total Payments
Establishment 1999–2000 Made
Brixton £17,587 £37,126
Highpoint £4,738 £38,427
Swaleside £8,250 £16,344
The Verne £10,500 £18,500
Totals £41,075 £110,397