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Information Technology (Euro)
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tenders his Department has put out to convert its information technology systems to be euro compliant; what are the cost and person hours required to convert the systems to handle the euro; and when he expects his Department's systems to be fully economic and monetary union compliant. [9451]
Mr. Howard: My Department and agencies will need to assess the impact which a single currency, assumed
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to be starting on 1 January 1999, would have on their information systems, whether or not the United Kingdom decides to participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union.
Pregnant Prisoners
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical provision and supervision is available to pregnant category A women in Holloway prison. [9274]
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Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 18 December 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question on medical provision and supervision available to pregnant category A women in Holloway prison.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rights prisoners detained in England and Wales have to secure a second medical opinion and appropriate treatment, with particular reference to drug dependent prisoners. [9164]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Max Madden, dated 18 December 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to respond to your recent Question about the rights of prisoners, detained in England and Wales prisons, to secure a second medical opinion and appropriate treatment, with particular reference to drug dependant prisoners.
18 Dec 1996 : Column: 728
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many strip cells are currently in use in prisons in England and Wales. [9165]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Max Madden, dated 18 December 1996:
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison medical officers are currently in post in prisons in England and Wales; how many posts are currently vacant; and what were the equivalent figures in each of the last five years. [9168]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 16 December 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Max Madden, dated 18 December 1996:
Holloway prison has a dedicated wing with specialist expertise and interest in caring for pregnant women. Admission to the unit is on a voluntary basis. Holloway, along with all prisons has the back up of the National Health Service, for both in-patient and out-patient facilities. In addition, consultants are contracted by the Prison Service to carry out clinics in the prisons themselves. Where necessary, prisoners are taken under escort to outside hospitals.
Neither unconvicted or convicted prisoners have an automatic right to seek a second medical opinion from NHS or private health care services. Where however, a second opinion is thought necessary by the prison medical officer, arrangements are made for the prisoner to be examined by a visiting NHS clinician, or transferred to a NHS hospital for examination or treatment.
Notwithstanding the above, if an unconvicted prisoner wishes to secure a second medical opinion, he or she may be visited and treated in prison by a nominated doctor if the following conditions are met:
The inmate is able and willing to pay the expenses incurred.
The Governor is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for such a request.
A convicted prisoner does not have this automatic right.
In exceptional circumstances a prisoner, whether convicted or unconvicted, may receive in-patient treatment in a private hospital or clinic, or a private room in a National Health Service Hospital. For this to occur the medical officer must be satisfied that the following conditions are met:
Hospital inpatient treatment is necessary.
It is clinically advisable that the treatment is carried out during the period that the prisoner is in custody.
The treatment cannot be carried out in a prison service health care centre and
that the prisoner could be treated significantly earlier, privately in a hospital within reasonable distance of the prison than under NHS arrangements or
They had an appointment for private in-patient treatment before they came into prison.
The governor must also satisfy himself that:
The inmate has sufficient funds or adequate private insurance to meet all costs, including the bedwatch.
These conditions apply to all medical and dental conditions, including the treatment of drug dependency.
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many special cells are currently in use in prisons in England and Wales.
The information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Full time doctors | Part time doctors | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Medical officer | Senior medical officer | Total | Medical officer | Senior medical officer | Total |
| 1994-95 | 96 | 49 | 145 | 136 | 0 | 136 |
| 1995-96 | 91 | 42 | 133 | 89 | 3 | 92 |
The figures include doctors employed in privately managed prisons except Blakenhurst which did not submit any staffing information.
Prisoners (Damages Claims)
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of successful claims for damages by, and the amount of compensation that has been given to, prisoners who have sued the Home Office for being kept in prison too long, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [9501]
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Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 17 December 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 18 December 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of successful claims for damages by, and the amount of compensation that has been given to, prisoners who have sued the Home Office for being kept in prison too long, in each of the last five years.
Information on individual compensation claim payments made by or on behalf of prison governors to prisoners is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The total expenditure on compensation payments to prisoners for detention beyond the due date of release is:
1991-92: £25,982
1992-93: £13,510
1993-94: £18,351
1994-95: £53,009
1995-96: £31,941
Ms Alison Halford
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public money (a) has been spent and (b) he estimates will be spent in respect of proceedings concerning Ms Alison Halford before (i) the Merseyside police authority, (ii) the industrial tribunal, (iii) the European Commission and (iv) the European Court of Human Rights, distinguishing in each case (1) solicitors' fees, (2) barristers' fees, (3) the cost of the time of other public officials and (4) the costs of the courts and tribunals in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [8862]
Mr. Howard: Part of the information requested is not available, and the rest is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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