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Young Offender Institutions: Ashfield

Volume 687: debated on Monday 11 December 2006

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Ashfield young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and [HL485]

On how many occasions physical restraint occurred at Ashfield young offender institution in relation to, respectively, male and female black and ethnic- minority clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and [HL486]

On how many occasions strip-searching involving physical restraint occurred at Ashfield young offender institution in relation to, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November.[HL487]

The attached table lists the number of incidents where physical restraint was used at HMP & YOI Ashfield during the months November 2005 through to October 2006. Also included are figures for the number of black and minority-ethnic (BME) boys subject to physical restraint. The prison does not strip-search boys under physical restraint. Ashfield is a juvenile establishment that accommodates only males.

HMP & YOI Ashfield: use of physical restraint November 2005 to October 2006

Month

Incidents where physical restraint is used

Black and minority ethnic prisoners involved in physical restraint

Full searching (strip-searching) involving physical restraint

November 2005

52

10

0

December 2005

30

3

0

January 2006

48

11

0

February 2006

34

8

0

March 2006

30

4

0

April 2006

27

10

0

May 2006

42

6

0

June 2006

31

2

0

July 2006

40

5

0

August 2006

51

11

0

September 2006

38

12

0

October 2006

52

4

0

Total

475

86

0

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Following the abolition of the Office for Contracted Prisons, who is responsible for the direct operational management of the juveniles and young offenders in HM Young Offender Institution Ashfield. [HL588]

The operational management of HMP & YOI Ashfield has always been the responsibility of Serco, the company holding the contract. This has been the situation both prior to and following the closure of the Office for Contracted Prisons at the end of March 2006. The Home Office is responsible for contractual management, ensuring that Serco delivers the service as set out in the contract. The chief executive of the National Offender Management Service is the ultimate authority for the contract. For HMP & YOI Ashfield, this is delegated to the head of the commissioner's support bureau, which is part of NOMS. In fulfilling this task, the bureau works closely with the Youth Justice Board in identifying its requirements as the customer for Ashfield's services.

As with all contracted establishments, there is a Home Office controller at Ashfield whose role is to ensure adherence to the contract on a day-to-day basis and to take remedial action in the event of non-compliance. The Home Office controller at Ashfield is line-managed through the head of the commissioner's support bureau.