Serco Group plc (“Serco”) has signed the contract, worth approx. £300m, to provide prisoner escort and custody services to HM Prison Service for the London and South East region of England, after it was nominated as preferred bidder in February this year. 

The contract, through wholly-owned subsidiary Premier Custodial Group (“Premier”), starts on August 29th and runs for seven years.  

Premier is currently delivering escort and custody services to HM Prison Service in two of the eight contracted areas, making Premier responsible for the secure and safe transportation of approximately 250,000 prisoners each year from prisons and police cells to courts.  The new contract will significantly increase Premier’s activity levels in this provision and see it responsible for approximately 25% of the market in England and Wales.

The contract solution enhances performance standards in the key areas of safe and secure management of prisoners, timeliness in their delivery to court and levels of prisoner care. 

Kevin Beeston, executive chairman of Serco Group, commented: “We acquired full control of Premier a year ago and since then the business has gone from strength to strength.  This latest contract signing further supports this and allows us to continue working with HM Prison Service to deliver what is a high quality, cost effective service on behalf of the taxpayer.”