Tag: Lord Falconer of Thoroton

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many hours on average each prisoner spent per week (1) in a cell, and (2) on purposeful activity, in (a) each prison, (b) each category of prison, and (c) the entire prison estate, in each year since 2010.

Lord Faulks

Time unlocked and purposeful activity were two of the National Offender Management Service’s performance indicators for prisons until 2011/2012. These indicators were discontinued from the start of 2012/13. However, the figures requested are provided for 2010/11 and 2011/12 in the tables below.

Tables 1 and 2 cover time spent in cell. Average time in cell is measured per weekday and this information is provided by individual prison establishment, by prison category and across the prison estate. The figures for time in cell are derived from information collected on the average hours per weekday that prisoners are unlocked and using these to estimate hours spent locked in cell. It should be noted that time in cell includes time when prisoners are asleep. Time unlocked includes time where a prisoner is either out of their cell or where the cell door is unlocked allowing them to move freely in and out of the cell.

Tables 3 and 4 show the reported average hours of purposeful activity per prisoner per week at establishment level, for each category of prison and across the prison estate

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Table 1: Time in Cell by Prison Establishment: Average Hours per Prisoner per Week Day

Establishment Name	2010-11	2011-12
Acklington	15.5	–
Albany	–	–
Altcourse	11.1	12.6
Ashfield	14.0	14.1
Ashwell	14.5	–
Askham Grange	8.0	8.0
Aylesbury	16.8	16.6
Bedford	14.3	14.4
Belmarsh	15.9	24.0
Birmingham	16.2	16.1
Blantyre House	6.0	6.0
Blundeston	14.0	12.4
Brinsford	14.1	24.0
Bristol	15.1	15.7
Brixton	17.4	17.4
Bronzefield	14.1	14.1
Buckley Hall	15.2	15.4
Bullingdon	16.1	15.6
Bullwood Hall	10.3	10.1
Camp Hill	–	–
Canterbury	13.7	13.3
Cardiff	15.9	16.7
Castington	16.6	–
Channings Wood	15.3	15.4
Chelmsford	14.7	14.4
Coldingley	14.4	14.6
Cookham Wood	15.2	14.3
Dartmoor	13.6	13.4
Deerbolt	17.5	17.2
Doncaster	13.4	11.6
Dorchester	18.2	18.5
Dovegate	14.8	14.3
Dover	11.4	11.4
Downview	13.8	14.2
Drake Hall	5.3	6.5
Durham	16.1	16.2
East Sutton Park	7.0	7.0
Eastwood Park	13.1	15.0
Edmunds Hill	10.2	–
Elmley	–	–
Erlestoke	14.3	14.4
Everthorpe	16.7	16.7
Exeter	16.2	15.9
Featherstone	13.1	14.5
Feltham	16.3	17.1
Ford	11.5	11.5
Forest Bank	13.7	13.7
Foston Hall	12.5	14.5
Frankland	15.1	14.9
Full Sutton	15.1	15.0
Garth	15.1	15.3
Gartree	15.2	15.5
Glen Parva	16.4	17.0
Gloucester	15.6	16.1
Grendon	10.3	10.3
Guys Marsh	13.6	13.7
Haslar	12.0	12.0
Haverigg	9.2	9.7
Hewell	13.3	13.0
High Down	16.2	16.5
Highpoint	14.5	13.3
Hindley	13.9	13.7
Hollesley Bay	8.0	8.0
Holloway	15.0	15.0
Holme House	16.1	15.4
Hull	16.0	16.1
Huntercombe	13.5	14.1
Isis	–	17.4
Isle of Wight	14.8	14.5
Kennet	13.8	13.7
Kingston	14.0	14.3
Kirkham	9.2	9.2
Kirklevington	5.0	5.0
Lancaster	14.9	–
Lancaster Farms	16.3	16.4
Latchmere House	0.0	1.9
Leeds	16.2	13.8
Leicester	16.5	16.1
Lewes	15.3	15.0
Leyhill	8.0	8.0
Lincoln	17.0	16.2
Lindholme	15.7	15.9
Littlehey	16.3	15.1
Liverpool	15.7	15.8
Long Lartin	14.7	15.7
Low Newton	13.4	13.5
Lowdham Grange	13.2	12.9
Maidstone	15.2	15.0
Manchester	13.8	13.4
Moorland	12.7	11.8
Morton Hall	10.4	24.0
Mount	13.1	13.0
New Hall	14.8	15.7
North Sea Camp	6.5	6.5
Northallerton	15.7	15.0
Northumberland	–	15.6
Norwich	15.2	15.8
Nottingham	16.2	16.2
Onley	14.8	14.4
Parc	14.6	14.9
Parkhurst	–	–
Pentonville	16.3	16.6
Peterborough	14.7	14.8
Portland	15.1	15.4
Preston	15.7	15.7
Ranby	14.3	14.6
Reading	15.1	14.4
Risley	15.0	15.0
Rochester	14.3	14.0
Rye Hill	14.8	14.3
Send	12.1	12.1
Sheppey Cluster	15.0	15.2
Shepton Mallet	14.6	14.5
Shrewsbury	15.4	15.4
Stafford	16.6	16.4
Standford Hill	–	–
Stocken	16.1	16.5
Stoke Heath	16.2	15.5
Styal	10.5	11.5
Sudbury	5.0	5.0
Swaleside	–	–
Swansea	15.5	15.4
Swinfen Hall	16.2	17.8
Thorn Cross	9.0	10.2
UskPrescoed	11.6	11.4
Verne	9.0	9.1
Wakefield	14.9	14.8
Wandsworth	17.4	16.7
Warren Hill	14.6	15.2
Wayland	12.6	11.7
Wealstun	16.5	15.7
Wellingborough	14.2	15.0
Werrington	14.3	14.8
Wetherby	14.2	14.4
Whatton	14.2	13.6
Whitemoor	15.5	15.2
Winchester	15.0	16.5
Wolds	12.1	12.0
Woodhill	15.0	14.5
Wormwood Scrubs	16.8	16.9
Wymott	15.5	15.5
National Total	14.5	14.5

‘-‘ Data not available

Table 2: Time in Cell by Prison Category: Average Hours per Prisoner per Week Day

Category	2010-11	2011-12
Category B	14.1	13.9
Category C	14.2	14.1
Dispersal	15	15.1
Female closed	12.8	13.6
Female local	13.5	14.1
Female open	7.6	7.6
Male closed young offender	15.8	16.2
Male juvenile	14.3	14.4
Male local	15.5	15.4
Male open	8.1	8.1
Male open young offender	9	10.2
Semi open	6	6.2
Cluster	14.5	14.5
National Total	14.5	14.5

Note: In the above table prisons are categorised according to their predominant function, though some establishments will have more than one function.

Table 3: Average number of hours per prisoner per week in purposeful activity by establishment

Establishment name	2010/11	2011/12
Acklington	20.7	–
Albany	24.2	24.6
Altcourse	35.2	33.7
Ashfield	29.1	26.7
Ashwell	29.1	–
Askham Grange	40.7	40.0
Aylesbury	20.7	21.9
Bedford	19.2	18.5
Belmarsh	18.5	18.4
Birmingham	21.3	21.3
Blantyre House	52.1	52.2
Blundeston	25.5	24.6
Brinsford	28.0	29.9
Bristol	25.2	22.9
Brixton	17.5	17.7
Bronzefield	26.6	26.9
Buckley Hall	27.0	26.5
Bullingdon	22.6	20.9
Bullwood Hall	24.5	24.0
Bure	21.2	24.6
Camp Hill	22.4	23.7
Canterbury	19.7	21.6
Cardiff	22.6	20.0
Castington	22.3	–
Channings Wood	24.0	23.7
Chelmsford	25.8	26.5
Coldingley	25.6	25.7
Cookham Wood	23.6	26.8
Dartmoor	24.1	23.1
Deerbolt	21.2	22.8
Doncaster	23.4	22.1
Dorchester	17.7	17.2
Dovegate	31.8	33.3
Dover	–	–
Downview	31.4	28.5
Drake Hall	34.4	36.0
Durham	16.9	18.2
East Sutton Park	45.0	45.3
Eastwood Park	21.5	22.4
Edmunds Hill	24.8	–
Elmley	17.1	17.5
Erlestoke	24.6	24.8
Everthorpe	22.5	22.7
Exeter	17.9	18.9
Featherstone	26.4	25.7
Feltham	22.2	20.3
Ford	41.6	41.8
Forest Bank	25.7	25.3
Foston Hall	30.9	29.7
Frankland	19.7	20.8
Full Sutton	20.5	21.1
Garth	25.9	26.2
Gartree	26.4	28.7
Glen Parva	20.7	20.8
Gloucester	20.7	19.5
Grendon	31.9	33.7
Guys Marsh	24.7	23.8
Haslar	–	–
Hatfield	–	–
Haverigg	27.6	25.3
Hewell	25.6	25.2
High Down	19.2	18.6
Highpoint	25.1	0.0
Hindley	30.9	33.4
Hollesley Bay	43.1	43.3
Holloway	23.1	21.8
Holme House	18.9	22.0
Hull	19.8	19.6
Huntercombe	27.0	28.4
Kennet	25.6	25.7
Kingston	29.2	27.3
Kirkham	47.1	49.3
Kirklevington	53.0	51.5
Lancaster	26.7	–
Lancaster Farms	26.9	27.0
Latchmere House	56.5	56.5
Leeds	18.6	18.9
Leicester	18.8	18.9
Lewes	23.0	20.3
Leyhill	39.5	40.0
Lincoln	19.3	18.9
Lindholme	21.4	21.5
Littlehey	20.6	22.5
Liverpool	20.2	20.8
Long Lartin	20.0	21.4
Low Newton	23.8	23.7
Lowdham Grange	27.3	27.9
Maidstone	25.1	25.9
Manchester	23.8	24.7
Moorland	29.0	31.1
Morton Hall	30.9	0.0
Mount	24.4	24.8
New Hall	27.2	25.0
North Sea Camp	45.9	43.1
Northallerton	23.7	23.5
Northumberland	–	20.0
Norwich	24.8	23.9
Nottingham	26.3	27.0
Onley	25.4	26.0
Parc	26.8	26.8
Parkhurst	21.3	22.9
Pentonville	18.1	18.4
Peterborough	–	–
Portland	27.6	–
Preston	20.7	20.6
Ranby	23.9	24.0
Reading	22.4	22.5
Risley	27.1	27.2
Rochester	22.0	22.3
Rye Hill	27.9	28.7
Send	30.6	31.2
Shepton Mallet	23.2	24.0
Shrewsbury	25.8	27.1
Stafford	26.2	26.6
Standford Hill	36.7	40.1
Stocken	25.7	24.8
Stoke Heath	25.6	28.1
Styal	24.7	23.1
Sudbury	43.6	45.8
Swaleside	24.3	26.6
Swansea	21.6	20.4
Swinfen Hall	26.3	23.8
Thameside	–	–
Thorn Cross	45.3	47.0
UskPrescoed	35.0	33.7
Verne	26.7	25.9
Wakefield	20.5	21.2
Wandsworth	17.2	17.6
Warren Hill	29.5	28.5
Wayland	25.2	25.8
Wealstun	20.4	21.7
Wellingborough	26.8	25.4
Werrington	30.8	27.6
Wetherby	29.7	27.5
Whatton	26.0	25.2
Whitemoor	24.1	25.5
Winchester	19.1	18.0
Wolds	24.4	24.1
Woodhill	21.2	20.0
Wormwood Scrubs	17.2	16.8
Wymott	25.7	26.2
National Total	24.7	24.9

‘-‘ Data not available

Table 4: Average number of hours per prisoner per week in purposeful activity by prison category

Category	2010/11	2011/12
Category B	27.1	30.1
Category C	24.8	25.2
Dispersal	20.7	21.7
Female closed	30.9	29.5
Female local	24.7	23.8
Female open	42.5	42.3
Male closed young offender	24.2	24.0
Male juvenile	28.9	27.5
Male local	21.4	21.4
Male open	42.5	44.2
Male open young offender	45.3	47.0
Semi open	43.9	45.6
Cluster	25.6	24.7
National Total	24.7	24.9

Note: In the above table prisons are categorised according to their predominant function, though some establishments will have more than one function.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the quantities and types of drugs found in each prison, and the additional sentences given to those caught.

Lord Faulks

We take a zero tolerance approach to drugs in prison.

Strict measures are in place to tackle visitors who smuggle or attempt to smuggle drugs into prison. This includes arrest and prosecution where there is sufficient evidence. Likewise, any prisoner found in possession of drugs will face disciplinary action, which could include a further prosecution and sentence.

In addition, as of 10 November 2015, we have introduced new laws so that those who smuggle packages, including new psychoactive substances, over prison walls will face up to two years in custody.

NOMS collects data on drug finds on a central database. Historically, this data has not included retrievable information on the quantity of the drug find. In October 2015, changes were made to reporting forms to improve data collection to include quantity. The tables below provide figures for (a) the quantities and (b) the types of drugs found in prisons in England and Wales over a two month period between October and November 2015.

It is not always possible to attribute a drug find to an individual prisoner. In those cases where a drug find has been attributed to a particular prisoner, NOMS does not collate centrally information on any additional sentences handed down and to do so would involve disproportionate cost.

Notes to Tables:

1. All figures in this answer have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.
2. It is important to note that many seizures are similar in appearance and require chemical testing to determine precise type. Drugs marked as “unknown” in table 2 have not been tested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government with which countries the UK is currently negotiating prisoner transfer agreements.

Lord Faulks

Revealing negotiations regarding prisoner transfer agreements can be counterproductive given their sensitivity. My Ministerial colleagues and I are actively engaging with a number of countries and remain determined to secure compulsory agreements wherever possible. Currently the UK has over 100 prisoner transfer agreements with other countries and territories.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many, and (2) what percentage of, prison governors have worked at two or more prisons in the last five years.

Lord Faulks

Of the governors of public sector prisons in post at 30 September 2015, a total of 90 (85%) had worked at two or more prisons in the previous five years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which department has overall responsibility for deradicalisation programmes in prisons.

Lord Faulks

Deradicalisation work in prisons forms part of the Government’s Prevent strategy, which is the responsibility of the Home Office. The delivery of this work in England and Wales is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice, through the National Offender Management Service. In Scotland, responsibility for delivery lies with the Scottish Government, through the Scottish Prison Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to reform legal aid provision for victims of domestic abuse in the light of the Court of Appeal judgment The Queen (On The Application Of Rights Of Women) v The Lord Chancellor And Secretary Of State For Justice [2016] EWCA Civ 91 on 18 February.

Lord Faulks

We are pleased the court confirmed that the Lord Chancellor did have the power to set domestic violence evidence requirements. We are now carefully considering the judgment as we decide how best to respond to the court’s concerns. We are determined to make sure victims of domestic violence can get legal aid whenever they need it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the monthly sales figures for (1) e-cigarettes, and (2) tobacco products, in prison shops in the past year.

Lord Faulks

For prisons in England and Wales monthly sales (number of units sold[1]) for the period December 2014 to November 2015 were as follows:

	TOBACCO & CIGARETTES	SUNDRIES[2]	E CIGARETTE
DECEMBER 2014	318,300	252,500	310
JANUARY 2015	352,500	284,200	140
FEBURARY 2015	283,600	228,300	80
MARCH 2015	291,700	228,400	20
APRIL 2015	344,100	282,500	40
MAY 2015	290,800	230,100	60
JUNE 2015	286,000	216,000	60
JULY 2015	350,400	268,400	40
AUGUST 2015	286,900	220,400	6,500
SEPTEMBER 2015	280,200	219,100	5,600
OCTOBER 2015	344,200	268,700	3,000
NOVEMBER 2015	278,400	220,200	1,500

It should be noted that some of the variation in monthly sales is due to months having four weekly accounting periods and other months having five.

From December 2014 to mid-August 2015 e-cigarettes were only available in prisons in Wales plus the three Public Sector Prison establishments in England, (Eastwood Park, Stocken, and Preston) hence the relatively low sales. From 17 August 2015 all public sector establishments offered an e-cigarette on their Local Product List (prison shop form). The decrease in e-cigarette sales since August is thought to be due to an initial peak in sales when these products were first introduced.

[1] Rounded to the nearest 100, or nearest 10 when sales are less than 1,000.

[2] Sundries include, for example, rolling papers, lighters, matches, filter tips and rolling machines.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to implement the second legal aid fee cut when its suspension ends on 1 April 2017.

Lord Faulks

We will review the matter in due course and any announcement will be made in the usual way.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prison inmates are enrolled on courses or treatments to help them stop smoking.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Validated information is not available centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of planned changes to personal injury law and whiplash claims on access to justice.

Lord Faulks

The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course, including any necessary safeguards. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.