HC Deb 07 January 2004 vol 416 c417W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for admitting young offenders to HMP Gloucester following the announcement of closure of Ashfield Young Offender Institution.[144960]

Paul Goggins

The allocation of Young Adult Offenders (YAOs) aged 18–20, into Gloucester prison forms part of the ongoing programme to adjust the population mix of adult and young prisoners at a number of establishments. This is in response to the requirements of the Youth Justice Board for juvenile places and to increasing demand for spaces for adult male prisoners. This will be achieved through careful monitoring of population changes and the allocation of prisoners to establishments appropriate to their needs. It will also ensure maximum use of all available spaces in the prison estate, while minimising the distance of remand prisoners from the courts. This will enable the Prison Service to maintain its service to the courts despite the population pressures

Ashfield prison is not being closed, but will instead only hold young prisoners, aged 15–17. Gloucester and other prisons in the area will hold remand and sentenced YAOs. Sentenced YAOs returning from court will be held at Gloucester for the minimum time possible before being transferred on to other establishments with YAO regimes.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the delay by the Director General of the Prison Service in replying to correspondence from the Independent Monitoring Board Chairman following the decision to re-admit young offenders to Gloucester prison.[144961]

Paul Goggins

The Director General of the Prison Service replied to the Chairman of the Independent Monitoring Board for Gloucester prison on 2 December 2003.