HC Deb 15 October 2001 vol 372 cc914-5W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional discretion in the conduct of their duties has been devolved to prison governors over the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [5505]

Beverley Hughes

We keep the balance between a prison governor's local autonomy and direction from headquarters under constant review. In the last four years, prison governors have been given additional discretion in the conduct of their duties in a number of areas includingin August 2000, contractual delegation under full competition increased to £25,000 for spot/annual contracts and to £75,000 where the strategy is for a three year period contract (lower levels of authority apply for single tender actions and on other sensitive procurements); central training requirements and giving governors discretion to decide which of their members of staff should attend particular courses; in February 2001, governors were given responsibility for approving applications for release on temporary licence for life sentence prisoners preparing for release in open and resettlement prisons. This is subject to an initial application being approved by Lifer Unit at Prison Service Headquarters. We expect governors to work autonomously to improve performance and maintain decent conditions for prisoners within the guidelines set down by the Prison Service Management Board.