§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent overcrowding in prisons. [136249]
§ Paul GogginsLevels 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.
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§ Dr. CableTo 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 GogginsInformation 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'.
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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
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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-ThomasTo 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 GogginsAll staff working within the Prison Service are protected by the 'whistle blowing' provisions contained in the Employment Rights Act 1996.