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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dogs are currently used in the Prison Service for the purpose of detecting drugs in prison; where they are located; how many prisons do not have full-time and exclusive access to such a dog; and what the costs are of training and keeping such a dog. [88307] Mr. George Howarth: There are 240 drug dogs in Prison Service establishments, comprising 51 passive drug dogs and 189 active drug dogs. The list shows the location of the drug dogs. Forty prisons do not have full-time access to a drug dog, but there are two area search teams (one based at Maidstone prison comprising six dogs; the other at Swinfen Hall Young Offenders Institution with two dogs) and the National Dog Support Group (comprising 14 dogs) which are available to give support to these prisons. The costs for training and maintaining the dogs are: Initial Training passive dog: £3,321 Initial Training active dog: £3,000 Annual refresher: £1,000. The yearly costs of keeping a dog averages £2,088, depending on veterinary care. Prisons in England and Wales with drug dogs: Acklington Albany{1} Altcourse{1} Askham Grange Aylesbury Bedford{1} Belmarsh{1} Birmingham Blakenhurst{1} Blundeston Bristol Brixton Buckley Hall Bullingdon{1} Canterbury Cardiff Castington Channings Wood Chelmsford Coldingley Dartmoor{1} Deerbolt Doncaster{1} Downview Durham{1} Eastwood Park{1} Everthorpe Exeter Feltham{1} Foston Hall{1} Frankland{1} Full Sutton Garth Gartree Glen Parva Grendon Guys Marsh Haverigg Highdown{1} Highpoint Hindley Hollesley Bay Holloway Holme House{1} Hull{1} Huntercombe Latchmere House Leeds Lewes Lincoln{1} Littlehey Liverpool{1} Long Lartin Lowdham Grange Low Newton Maidstone Manchester{1} Moorland New Hall Northallerton Norwich{1} Parc Parkhurst{1} Portland Preston{1} Ranby Reading Risley Send Shepton Mallet Standford Hill{1} Stocken Stoke Heath Styal Swaleside Swansea The Mount{1} Thorn Cross Wakefield{1} Wandsworth Wayland{1} Wealstun Wellingborough{1} Whitemoor{1} Winchester Wolds{1} Woodhill Wormwood Scrubs{1} Wymott Kent Area Search Team{1} Mercia Area Search Team National Dog Support Group {1} Passive drug dog Note: Other establishments will have an active drug dog or a dual purpose dog (used for both patrol and drug duties).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

334 c99-101W; 88307

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Costs Dogs Drugs Prisons Misuse

Contains statistics

Yes