To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the star system for measuring the performance of prisons was introduced; what criteria it employs; and if he will make a statement. [109521]

The Director General of the Prison Service announced the introduction of a performance rating system for establishments in England and Wales on 8 April 2003.All establishments will be assessed on a performance scale of 1 to 4, with level 4 for a prison delivering exceptionally high performance and level 1 indicating a poor performer. The ratings will be published on the Prison Service website for the first time at the end of June 2003.

Performance Level	Criteria
4	Exceptionally high performing, consistently meeting or exceedings targets, no significant operating problems, achieving significantly more than similar establishments with similar resources.
3	Meeting the: majority of targets, experiencing no significant problems in doing so, delivering a reasonable and decent regime.

Performance Level	Criteria
2	Basically stable, secure and providing a limited but decent regime; experiencing significant problems in meeting targets and/or experiencing major operational problems.
1	Failing to provide secure, ordered, or decent regimes and/ or has significant shortfalls against the majority of key targets.

The Director General will make the assessment for public sector establishments, in consultation with Directors and Area Managers.The Commissioner for Correctional Services will make the assessment for contracted prisons. Assessment will be reviewed quarterly and are based upon a range of factors: