HC Deb 11 November 2003 vol 413 cc242-5W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent overcrowding in prisons. [136249]

Paul Goggins

Levels of overcrowding are determined by Prison Service Area Managers and monitored carefully on the basis of operational judgment and experience.

As part of the Prison Service building programme, the Government are investing £1.3 billion in the three years up to 2005–06 on building and operating additional capacity. The Prison Service will provide around 3,000 additional places in existing prisons by 2006. A further 1,290 places will be provided through the new prisons currently under construction at Ashford (near Heathrow) and at Peterborough. In addition, a new unit at Birmingham prison has opened recently, six months ahead of schedule, and provides an additional 452 places.

We are further managing the prison population through the use of the Home Detention Curfew (HOC) through reforms to the criminal justice system.

An amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill will make foreign national prisoners who are serving determinate sentences of more than three months liable to deportation up to four and a half months early. The measure brings the foreign nationals in line with UK prisoners who are eligible to apply for HOC. The same risk assessment procedures will apply.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vacancies there were at each(a) prison and (b) young offenders' institution on 30 June; and if he will make a statement. [136862]

Paul Goggins

Information on staff vacancies against planned posts at 30 June 2003, for each public sector prison and young offender institute is contained in the following table. The figures represent a snapshot of staffing at establishment level and do not take into account new staff who were still in the recruitment process on 30 June.

During 2002, recruitment in the Prison Service reached record levels with a total of 6,645 new staff joining the Service. 2,240 prison officers began initial officer training in the 12 months to 30 June 2003. This high level of recruitment activity is predicted to continue into next year due in part to the rising prison population and new accommodation coming on stream.

To assist in the retention of staff in particular areas, local pay allowances have been introduced. In addition, to cover vacancies in the short-term certain establishments are allowing officers to work additional hours as part of the 'Contracted Supplementary Hours Scheme'.

Staff vacancies at prisons and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) at 30 June 20031
Area/establishment Officers and senior operational managers Others
High Security Prisons
Belmarsh -49 -28
Durham -6
Frankland -30 -16
Full Sutton -49
Long Lartin -25 -2
Manchester -14 -27
Wakefield -9
Whitemoor -52 -22
Woodhill -23 -22
Juvenile Establishments
Huntercombe -12
Warren Hill -10 -7
Werrington -6 -8
Wetherby -4 -1
Women's Prisons and YOIs
Askham Grange -1
Brockhill -1 -5
Buckley Hall -4
Bullwood Hall -14
Cookham Wood -6
Downview -18 -6
Drake Hall -9
East Sutton Park
Eastwood Park -15 -1
Foston Hall -1
Edmunds Hill -44 -41
Holloway -19 -17
Low Newton
Morton Hall -2
New Hall -9 -13
Send -6 -10
Styal -23

Staff vacancies at prisons and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) at 30 June 20031
Area/establishment Officers and senior operational managers others
East Midlands(North)
Lincoln -11
North Sea Camp -2
Nottingham -8
Ranby
Sudbury -1 -1
Whatton -1
East Midlands(South)
Ashwell -1 -9
Gartree
Glen Parva
Leicester
Onley -13 -7
Stocken -9 -5
Wellingborough -13 -4
Eastern
Bedford -15 -15
Blundeston
Chelmsford -4 -6
Highpoint -18
Hollesley Bay -1 -1
Littlehey -14 -16
Norwich -11 -16
The Mount -11 -6
Wayland -2 -5
Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Blantyre House -1
Canterbury -3
Coldingley -4
Dover -5 -11
Elmley -5
Ford -3 -6
High Down -18 -10
Lewes -5 -19
Maidstone -4
Rochester -11 -8
Standford Hill -3 -4
Swaleside -12
London
Brixton -22 -23
Feltham -31 -15
Latchmere House -1 -3
Pentonville -11 -27
Wandsworth -31 -8
Wormwood Scrubs -43 -30
North East
Acklington -3
Castington -11 -4
Deerbolt -7
Holme House -3
Kirklevington Grange
North West
Garth -16
Haverigg -2 -3
Hindley -45 -18
Kirkham -4
Lancaster -9
Lancaster Farms -35
Liverpool -22
Preston -15
Risley -11
Thorn Cross -7
Wymott -6

Staff vacancies at prisons and Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) at 30 June 20031
Area/establishment Officers and senior operational managers Others
South west
Bristol -36 -28
Channings Wood
Dartmoor -7
Dorchester -13 -3
Erlestoke -16 -3
Exeter -6
Gloucester -10 -2
Guys Marsh -6 -2
Leyhill -8
Portland
Shepton Mallet
The verne -1 -2
Weare -4
Thames Valley and Hampshire
Albany -14
Aylesbury -6
Bullingdon -40 -16
Camp Hill -2
Grendon -7 -8
Haslar -7 -5
Kingston -1
Parkhurst -10 -11
Reading -2
Winchester -7 -12
Wales
Cardiff -7 -13
Swansea -3
Usk/Prescoed -3 -6
West Midlands
Birmingham -99 -5
Blakenhurst
Brinsford -7
Featherstone -2 -2
Hewell Grange -1 -6
Shrewsbury
Stafford -2
Stoke Heath -6
Swinfen Hall
Yorkshire and Humberside
Everthorpe
Hull -7
Leeds -4
Lindholme -5
Moorland
Northallerton -1
Wealstun -2
Total -1,247 -700
1 Figures do not take into account new staff who were still in the recruitment process at 30 June 2003.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is public interest immunity in whistle blowing cases for(a) prison officers, (b) prison staff and (c) other personnel working within the Prison Service. [137080]

Paul Goggins

All staff working within the Prison Service are protected by the 'whistle blowing' provisions contained in the Employment Rights Act 1996.

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