(2) whether the National Offender Management Service has tested any locations for new prisons suggested in the business case presented by the North Wales Criminal Justice Board.
A national site search is under way, with South Wales one of a number of priority areas due to strategic need. Other priority areas include London, the North West and the West Midlands.
North Wales is not currently included in these priorities. However, the National Offender Management Service continues to investigate all options for providing further increases in capacity.
(2) whether the National Offender Management Service in Wales has actively tested any of the locations suggested in the business case presented by the North Wales Criminal Justice Board for suitability for a new prison facility.
[holding answer 8 February 2007]: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is currently undertaking searches to identify sites for new prisons in areas of highest demand for prison places. The priority search areas are London and the Thames corridor, South Wales, the North West and the West Midlands. NOMS is aware of the site proposed by the North Wales Local Criminal Justice Board in evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee in December 2006. The site is considerably smaller than those under consideration for development as a new prison.