§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to convert men's prisons to house the female prison population; how many(a) establishments are to be converted and (b) places will be provided, and when they are due to open; [82880]
(2) what plans he has for new women's prisons; how many (a) establishments and (b) places are planned; and when they are due to open. [82879]
§ Hilary BennIt is planned that the new prison scheduled to open at Ashford, near Heathrow, in 2004 will be a female prison of 450 places. It is also planned 585W that the new prison scheduled to open at Peterborough in Cambridgeshire in 2005 will have 840 places: 360 female and 480 male places.
There are currently no other plans to open new female prisons, or to convert any male prisons into female prisons.