§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 24 June 2003,Official Report, columns 736–38 on prisons, how many absconding prisoners committed a further offence, for which they were charged, during their absence from prison, in each year; what assessment he has made of the basis for selecting prisoners for transfer to Kirkham open prison; and how many prison officers were in post at each open prison in each year. [125794]
§ Paul GogginsOffences committed by prisoners who are unlawfully at large, following their abscond from an open prison, and for which they were subsequently charged, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The categorisation procedures use an algorithm to indicate a provisional security category for each individual prisoner. This is then accepted or rejected following a consideration of the medical and mental health of the prisoner, and previous custodial experiences. This is a national system and is applied to all prisoners who are transferred to Kirkham. Additional local criteria means that prisoners with any history of sexual offences are excluded from Kirkham. A fundamental review of the categorisation of all prisoners is currently under way. This does include the procedures by which prisoners are considered as suitable for open conditions.
The following table shows the n umber of uniformed prison discipline staff at each of the prisons referred to in the answer of 24 June 2003.
964W
January to December January to June Establishment 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Askham Grange 29 29 29 28 29 29 Blantyre House 34 34 34 34 36 35 Drake Hall 63 64 64 67 81 89 East Sutton Park 23 23 25 25 22 24 Ford 62 63 64 61 61 62 Hatfield/Moorland 320 317 311 316 322 338 Hewell Grange 27 27 28 29 29 29 Hollesley Bay 147 137 153 155 171 167 Kirkham 85 82 86 85 86 86 Kirklevington 42 41 37 37 38 44 Latchmere House 38 39 40 38 40 38 Leyhill 71 70 69 66 63 68 Morton Hall 31 30 37 68 81 109 North Sea Camp 32 32 32 34 36 40 Usk/Prescoed 84 83 88 88 85 89 Grendon 159 164 175 172 154 153
January to December January to June Establishment 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Standford Hill 80 84 81 81 78 91 Sudbury 68 67 68 63 63 65 Thorn Cross 106 106 113 115 111 106 Wealstun 147 147 148 146 147 154