PRISONS PRIVATISATION

That this House is extremely concerned at the Government announcement by means of a written statement of the privatisation of four more prisons, HMP Lindholme, HMP Hatfield, HMP Moorland and HMP Northumberland; believes that this decision should have been made as an oral statement to the House so that hon. Members would have had the opportunity to debate such an important issue and question the relevant Minister; notes that England and Wales have the highest proportion of privately run prisons in the world and that these prisons have been privatised without any evidence of how effectively private prisonsoperate and without proper debate; understands that further privatisation of prison work remains on the Government's agenda despite the increasing concern of the public regarding the Government's over-reliance on private companies to deliver public services; and calls on the Government to establish an independent review to consider the impact of prison privatisation on staff, communities and the public, as well as the processes involved inthis privatisation programme.