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Home Office;Prison Service

Answer

Mr. Porter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how convicted prisoners escaped from a private coach on 5 November in London while being transferred from Her Majesty's prison, Blundeston; for what reasons a secure vehicle was not used; what changes he expects to make to the system for transporting prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [3392] Miss Widdecombe: [holding answer 12 November 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. David Porter, dated 13 November 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how convicted prisoners escaped from a private coach on 5 November in London while being transferred from Blundeston prison; for what reasons a secure vehicle was not used, and what changes are excepted to be made to the system of transporting prisoners. The prisoners who escaped were category B prisoners. Our policy on the transporting of category B prisoners is that they should be transported in as secure a vehicle as possible, based on a thorough risk assessment of the likelihood of escape. In this particular case it was decided that a secure vehicle was not required. A senior director in the Prison Service has completed an enquiry into the incident. He has put forward nine recommendations, which I have accepted. He has recommended that we should aim to use secure cellular vehicles for all multiple escorts of category B prisoners, as soon as the necessary equipment can be acquired. The Director of Security has been asked to examine the implementation of this recommendation.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

3392; 285 c244W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Prisoners' transfers Prisoner escapes Transport HMP Blundeston