Prisons

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 7th May 1987.

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Photo of Hon. Douglas Hurd Hon. Douglas Hurd , Witney 12:00 am, 7th May 1987

I am glad that my hon. and learned Friend has raised that last point. Privatisation is not an accurate description of what he or I have in mind. We are not talking about selling-off existing prisons and putting them under private management. We are talking about whether, by using the private sector and its techniques more intensively, and perhaps at an earlier stage, we can accelerate the provision of prison places and thus ease as rapidly as possible the overcrowding with which we are concerned. I am asking my noble Friend Lord Caithness to go to the United States to follow up the research that was undertaken by the Select Committee.