Number of prisoners applying to move to UK prisons and related data (FOI)

​Request

Broken down for each of the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, I would like to know:

A.

How many prisoners applied to move to a UK prison in order to be closer to their family?

B.

How many prisoners were refused and for what reasons?

C.

How many prisoners were able to successfully move to a UK prison?

D.

How much has it cost the prison service to implement these moves (travel costs/ staffing/ overnight accommodation etc)?

Response

A.

B.

2012

3 applications refused/held of which:

1 x Applied too early – awaiting sentence (transferred in 2013). 1 x Unable to obtain required travel documents.
1 x Did not meet the criteria for transfer as they were ordinarily resident in Jersey.

2013

4 applications refused/held of which:

2 x Applied in the later part of the year & transferred in 2014. 1 x Applied too early not yet sentenced (transferred in 2014).

1 x Did not meet the criteria for transfer as they were ordinarily resident in Jersey.

2014

4 applications held due to a UK embargo on transfer applications. Of these 2 were withdrawn and 2 x Earliest Date of Release (EDR) were within last 6 months of UK EDR so not able to transfer.

2015

Currently 6 applications are being considered. The embargo continued for the start of this year which has now been lifted. Transfers are being planned for 2015.

C.

D.

The costing shown includes all UK transfers. Our financial records do not annotate what the reason for the transfer is for.  A UK transfer will include medical assessments, the UK leg of repatriations, etc. Costings are for travel and expenses (meals). The staffing costs are approximate and calculated by the number of hours by the average wage of a Prison Officer.

2012

2013

2014