To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many prisoners absconded from (a) HMP Standford Hill and (b) HMP Sudbury in each year since 1997; and how many of those remain at large in each case. (140635)

The information on the number of absconds is set out in the following table and covers the period from 1 April 1997 to 31 March 2007. Figures for 2006-07 are provisional and subject to validation. Currently there is no central record of absconders who are subsequently returned to custody. Recaptures reflect police rather than Prison Service performance and these data have not been held centrally for this reason.