HC Deb 19 December 2003 vol 416 c13W
Stephen Hesford

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made in improving adult prisoner(a) literacy and (b) numeracy. [142923]

Paul Goggins

Since April 2003, prisoners have achieved around 28,000 qualifications in literacy, language and numeracy. At this rate, the 2003–04 target of 36,600 qualifications will be exceeded by March 2004. As a result prisons have been set an ambitious but achievable target of 60,000 basic skills qualifications for 2004–05.