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HOME DEPARTMENT
Dyslexic Prisoners
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners were diagnosed with dyslexia while in prison during each year since 1990; [13823]
- (2) how many prison officer hours were spent training to deal with dyslexic prisoners during each year since 1990; [13827]
(3) what plans there are to introduce tests to screen prisoners for dyslexia; [13825]
(4) what provision is available within the Prison Service for prisoners with dyslexia; [13824]
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(5) what training in dealing with dyslexic prisoners is available to staff working in the Prison Service; [13826]
(6) what proportion of prisoners were diagnosed with dyslexia before entering prison during each year since 1990. [13822]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for these matters 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. George Howarth, dated 7 February 1997:
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The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your six recent Questions about dyslexia among prisoners.
Education in prisons, including the provision of help to prisoners suffering from dyslexia, is provided by contractors rather than by prison officers. Contract terms require them to offer the Basic Skills screening test in numeracy and literacy to all prisoners. There are no plans to introduce additional tests to diagnose dyslexia.
Basic literacy is included in the Prison Service's core education curriculum. It is the policy of the Prisons Board towards prisoners who have any learning disabilities, including dyslexia, that those who need to improve basic literacy and are prepared to attend education classes will be given every opportunity to do so.
A number of prisons are trying to find better ways of giving basic skills training to prisoners as part of vocational training and in the course of daily work in prison workshops. This work is being supported by the Basic Skills Unit, with whom the Prison Service works closely. The Unit has contracted Amersham and Wycombe College to provide a National Support project to this end. Instructional officers are being encouraged to attend a one day course which is based on an initial certificate in teaching basic skills in the workplace.
The number of prisoners identified by the Basic Skills Screening test as having a learning disability, and the number of prisoners diagnosed with dyslexia before entering prisons, are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Glen Parva Young Offenders Institution
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when a decision was made concerning the closure of the therapeutic community at HM YOI Glen Parva; [13831]
- (2) what plans he has to provide alternative facilities at HM YOI Glen Parva following the recent closure of its therapeutic community; [13829]
(3) how many hours per month were spent by prisoners undergoing rehabilitation at HM YOI Glen Parva since January 1995; and of these hours, how many were spent undergoing rehabilitation in the therapeutic community;[13832]
(4) for what reasons the therapeutic community at HM YOI Glen Parva has recently closed; [13828]
(5) how long a period of notice of closure of the therapeutic community at HM YOI Glen Parva was given to (a) the prisoners and (b) the staff involved with the unit. [13830]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for these matters 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. George Howarth, dated 7 February 1997:
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The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about the Therapeutic Community at HMYOI Glen Parva and the reasons for its closures.
The decision to close the Therapeutic Community was taken on 13 December 1996 and prisoners and staff were given about half a day's notice of its closure.
The Therapeutic Community has been temporarily closed to allow the Governor to re-deploy existing health care staff to provide an increased level of cover and observation on the acute psychiatric and assessment wards following a decision to close the seclusion rooms for prisoners at risk of self-harm.
There are no immediate plans to provide alternative facilities at Glen Parva, however health care facilities are currently being reviewed and the outcome of this review will determine the long term future of the Therapeutic Community. In the meantime a new therapeutic community unit has recently opened at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institution and priority will be given to prisoners from Glen Parva when considering admissions to this unit.
Prisoners at Glen Parva have each spent an average of 79.19 hours a month undergoing rehabilitation since January 1995. The figure for those held within the Therapeutic Community, for the same period, was an average of 74.75 hours a month for each prisoner.
Prisoners (Transport)
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if male and female prisoners are escorted in the same vehicle; and if he will make a statement. [15222]
Miss Widdecombe: Male and female prisoners are escorted in the same vehicles at the same time in area 7--east midlands and Humberside--but not elsewhere. In the three years in which this practice has been followed in area 7, no problems have resulted. The vehicles are cellular; female prisoner custody officers are used to handle female prisoners; and careful loading procedures are followed to ensure proper segregation. On the basis of these safeguards, I have agreed that the practice may be extended to the other contract areas.
Whitemoor Prison (Escape)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the role playing training session held on how to behave in court for those HMP Whitemoor personnel due to give evidence at the trial of the men accused of the 1994 escape from Whitemoor; who took the decision to organise the session; what legal advice was obtained regarding the lawfulness of the session prior to that decision; and if he will make a statement. [13421]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 30 January 1997]: 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. Kevin McNamara dated 7 February 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about training of Whitemoor personnel due to give evidence at court.
Three training sessions aimed at preparing staff to give evidence in court have been run at Whitemoor Prison since September 1996. This training was chosen by the Governor of Whitemoor particularly because a number of staff at the prison were expected to be asked to give evidence in the coming months; it was expressly for the purpose of general briefing for staff on the appropriate behaviour for court appearances and on court procedures. Because the training was part of the normal local programme, no additional costs were incurred.
Governors have been encouraged, at least since 1991, to provide training to staff on what is involved in being a witness to reduce the possibility of trials being prejudiced as a result of inappropriate action by staff. Legal advice was sought before the training was delivered.
Prisoners (Deaths)
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to publish
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the conclusions of reports into deaths of prisoners held by the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement.[13953]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 3 February 1997]: The reports of inquiries by the Prison Service into the deaths of prisoners are not published and there are no plans to do so.
Prison Reports
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the reasons for the delays in publishing each of the reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons which have been received by him but not yet published. [14223]
Miss Widdecombe: The reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons to the Secretary of State of the inspection of prison establishments generally contain much detailed information and discussion and make a number of recommendations. Before the reports are published, Ministers receive the advice of the Director General of the Prison Service on them and the Prison Service's response to their recommendations, with an indication of the action which has been or is to be taken. Action does not wait until publication of the report, but Ministers are accountable for the Prison Service and it is essential that they should be satisfied about the Prison Service response to inspection reports before they are published.
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