asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce overcrowding in Leicester prison.

Earlier this month we transferred to Glen Parva remand centre Leicester's responsibility for assessing and allocating sentenced young offenders. The conversion of Ashwell prison from an open to a closed prison later this year and the opening of Littlehey prison will both provide further relief. In the longer term we are exploring the scope for reducing the area from which Leicester draws its population.