To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on (a) the administration of and (b) expenditure by the Assisted Prison Visits Unit in each of the last three years; and whether those costs were included in the revenue costs of his Department. (291887)

The administration expenditure for the assisted prison visits unit (APVU) is as follows:

The gross expenditure by the assisted prison visits unit for giving assistance to prisoners’ visitors is as follows:

The total expenditure for APVU has been included in the revenue costs of the Ministry of Justice for 2008-09 and 2007-08, and the Home Office for 2006-07.

The assisted prison visits scheme provides help with travel and where appropriate accommodation expenses to prisoners’ close relatives, partners or a friend (where they are the only visitor). In all cases the visitor must be in receipt of specified benefits or on a low income.