Written question asked by Ian Gibson (Labour) on Monday, 9 July 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 18 July 2001. It was answered by Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 July 2001 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the Norwich Prison Board of Visitors report to the Prison Reform Trust on the subject of overcrowding at Norwich Prison. - Inc figures.

Answer: Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the Norwich Prison Board of Visitors report to the Prison Reform Trust on the subject of overcrowding at Norwich Prison. [3147] Beverley Hughes: I am not aware of any report from the Board of Visitors at Norwich prison to the Prison Reform Trust. Norwich prison was not named as causing particular concern in the Prison Reform Trust's recent press release on overcrowding. The Board of Visitors at Norwich did however refer to the issue of overcrowding in their annual report to the Secretary of State for the year 2000. The Certified Normal Accommodation (that is, the uncrowded capacity) of Norwich prison is 561 and the operational (that is, maximum) capacity 794. The operational capacity was increased by 50 places in October 2000, for which the prison received additional funding of £397,000. The average population during 2000 was 631, a reduction from 1999 (681). On average 35 per cent. of the population at Norwich prison share a cell, which is less than the establishment's target of 45 per cent.

Secondary information