asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the reduction of overcrowding in remand prisons; and if he will make a statement.

In the last year we have converted one training prison to a local prison and remand centre and we have introduced units for untried prisoners into three more establishments. Further such changes are planned. In addition we are creating extra places at a number of establishments for untried prisoners, in some cases by reducing their sentenced population. We are also considering further changes to the catchment areas served by particularly overcrowded establishments.In the longer term, the prison building programme includes seven new local prisons and one new remand centre. Furthermore, a high proportion of the additional places planned in the existing establishments will be in local prisons or remand centres.