§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what briefings have been given to prison staff at Haslar Removal Centre relating to(a) the extension of the centre, (b) its transfer to the Immigration Service and (c) its possible privatisation. [135596]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 4 November 2003]A project team has been set up to look at proposals to transfer operational responsibility for the centre from the Prison Service to IND. Staff and Trade Unions have been informed of this by means of a letter. The project team will continue to keep them informed throughout the process. The centre manager and his senior management team at Haslar were involved in a feasibility study to look at options to extend Haslar. The options did not prove to be cost effective and therefore there are no plans at present to develop the removal centre at Haslar.
§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans other than those proposed by his Department have been put forward for the extension of the Haslar Removal Centre; and what the planned new accommodation total is in the proposals put forward by(a) his Department and (b) other bodies. [135597]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 4 November 2003]Indicative plans were prepared which looked at a number of options to extend Haslar. However, these were simply architectural sketch plans and no detailed plans have been prepared. No plans have been submitted for planning approval and at this time there is no intention of doing so. There are currently no plans to expand the Removal Centre at Haslar.
§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans for the extension of Haslar Removal Centre have been produced by Capita. [133065]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 20 October 2003]Indicative plans were prepared by Capita for some expansion and improvement to Haslar Removal Centre, but we have no plans at present to take this forward.