(2) how many accidents involving prisoner transport vehicles in the last five years have involved prisoner transport vehicles operated by private companies;
(3) how many accidents involving prisoner transit vehicles have occurred each year in the last five years.
There have been no accidents involving prisoner transport vehicles in England and Wales which resulted in a fatality to a prisoner in transit in the last five years. Information about accidents involving escort contractor vehicles that have resulted in injury is available from August 2004 and is set out in the following table. This excludes information for HM Prison Service who do not hold this information centrally and which could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A breakdown of seriousness is not readily available without further investigation.
Injury 2004 11 2005 18 2006 10 2007 6
Records of accidents involving prisoner escort contractor vehicles are available from August 2004 and are set out in the following table. The majority of accidents involve reversing and manoeuvring.
All types Non-cellular 2004 (August to December) 268 2 2005 742 15 2006 621 3 2007 (January to June) 288 2
(2) how many prisoner transport vehicles have seat belts for prisoners.
The Government considered the merits of installing seat belts in cellular vehicles in 2003. We concluded that the risk of prisoner self inflicted deaths outweighed the benefits of seat belts being installed compulsorily.
Cellular vehicles operated by private contractors for the National Offender Management Service are not fitted with seat belts within the cells. Seat belts are fitted for prisoners in all 32 non-cellular vehicles operated by private contractors. Seat belts are fitted for prisoners in 31 cellular vehicles operated by HM Prison Service. These vehicles are primarily used to escort category A prisoners who have a higher level of supervision.
Separate records are not available for remand and post sentenced prisoners. Contractors for the National Offender Management Service report that the average distance prisoners travelled in prisoner transport vehicles in the last 12 months was 18 miles. Information for HM Prison Service vehicles is not held centrally.