§ Mr. FrancoisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time prison officers were employed by HM Prison Service in Essex on 1 September. [132631]
§ Paul GogginsOn 1 September 2003, there were 255 full-time prison officers, including senior officers and principal officers, employed in Essex. There were 76 at Bullwood Hall prison and young offender institution and 179 at Chelmsford prison.
§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the establishment of staff is at(a) Downview and (b) High Down Prisons; and how many staff were in post at each prison on 1 October. [133263]
§ Paul GogginsThe information requested is shown in the table. Figures are for all staff and are full time equivalent basis.
Complement 1 October 2003 Staff in post 1 October 2003 Downview 234 186.5 High Down 481 446
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 6 October 2003,Official Report, column 1246W, on prisons, if he will assess the likelihood of the legislative and other changes listed in his answer being fully implemented within the timescales of the projections. [133554]
§ Paul GogginsThe prison population projections only include legislative and policy changes that have been implemented or have an agreed date for implementation. All those listed in the previous answer are expected to have delivered their full impact during the period covered by the projections apart from automatic life sentences for serious repeat offenders where the impact is expected to extend beyond June 2009. The impact beyond June 2009 is projected to be around 50 prison places. Estimates made of the impact of such changes are kept regularly under review.
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what provision is made by the Prison Service to ensure that prisons are able to fulfil their statutory duty to provide frequent and reasonable access to legal texts; [134622]
(2) how many prison libraries stock legal texts and statutes as stipulated in Prison Service Order 6710. [134623]
§ Paul GogginsAll prison libraries are required by their service level agreement to stock the texts stipulated in the libraries Prison Service Order. The Prison Service ensures that libraries comply with this requirement through the Standards Audit and through the annual review of the library service level agreement.
All prison Governors must ensure that libraries obtain the stipulated publications using the capitation grant provided for this purpose.
721W
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners awaiting trial are being held more than(a) 50 and (b) 100 miles from their committal court town; [134624]
(2) how many prisoners awaiting trial were sharing cells with convicted prisoners in the last month for which figures are available. [134625]
§ Paul GogginsAn individual prisoner's court details are recorded to show first court appearance, committal, remand, conviction or sentencing. Information specifically on committal court details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
On 31 August 2003, the latest date for which information is available, details were available for 7,473 prisoners, 94 per cent. of the total prison population
Distance from court town Prisoners awaiting trial Number of prisoners As a percentage of the total1 Held over 100 miles away from their court committal town 96 1 Held 50–100 miles away from their court committal town 556 7 Held fewer than 50 miles away from their court committal town 6,821 86 Information unavailable 507 6 Total number of prisoners awaiting trial 7,980 100 1 Based on total number of prisoners awaiting trial
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans for the management of prison gardens. [135467]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 30 October 2003]: There are no plans to change the existing arrangements for the management of prison gardens.