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Home Office

Answer

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prisoner population at HMP Forest Bank; when it will reach capacity; what is the current staff/prisoner ratio; what is the expected staff/prisoner ratio at full capacity; how many prisoner custody officers and managers have transferred (a) from HMP Blakenhurst, (b) other privately run prisons and (c) the Prison Service; what incidents have been reported at the establishment since it opened; what amounts have been calculated for financial penalties for contract failures to date; and if he will list the reasons for financial penalties being imposed so far. [114761] Mr. Boateng: As at 14 March the prisoner population at Forest Bank prison and young offender institution was 420. It is due to reach full capacity on 11 May this year. The current staff/prisoner ratio is one member of staff to 1.27 prisoners and the expected staff/prisoner ratio at full capacity is one member of staff to 2.29 prisoners. The details requested about the number of custody officers and managers who transferred to Forest Bank from other prisons are given in the table. Incidents which have occurred at Forest Bank are detailed in the table. The imposition of financial penalties does not start until the prison reaches full capacity on 11 May; therefore, no financial penalties have yet been calculated or imposed. Prisoner custody officers and managers transferred to Her Majesty's Prison/Young Offenders Institution Forest Bank _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Transferred from (a) Her Majesty's Prison Blakenhurst Managers 7 Senior Prisoner Custody Officers 5 Prisoner Custody Officers 5 (b) Other privately run prisons Managers 10 Senior Prisoner Custody Officers 9 Prisoner Custody Officers 4 (c) The Prison Service Managers {1}3 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} One of whom is on secondment Incidents reported at Her Majesty's Prison/Young Offenders Institution Forest Bank to 14 March _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Incident Fights 3 Concerted indiscipline 2 Assaults on other prisoners 7 Assaults on staff 6 Fires in wastebins 2 Drug finds 3 Total 23 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

346 c461W;346 c460-1W; 114761

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Private sector Prisons Staff HM Prison Service HMP Forest Bank

Contains statistics

Yes