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Metropolitan Police
Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent report by Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary on No. 5 area (south-west) of the Metropolitan police. [17971]
Mr. Maclean: Yes. I have today placed in the Library a note of the recommendations from the report, together with the responses of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the police authority responses, which take into account the advice my right hon. and learned Friend and I have received from the Metropolitan police committee.
Special Secure Units
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made in each month since September 1994 by prisoners within special secure units concerning (a) alleged ill-treatment and (b) sleep deprivation. [16354]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 20 February 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 26 February 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about complaints by prisoners in special secure units.
Prisoners may make complaints through a variety of channels. The detailed information required to answer your question could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Strip Searches
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) further to his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 736, at what level of the Prison Service the decision was made to introduce a closed-loop video system for use in the prisoners' strip search room at Long Lartin prison; what external legal advice was sought prior to its introduction; and at what date Ministers were informed; [16629]
- (2) who carried out the evaluation of the closed-loop video system for use in the prisoners' strip search room at Long Lartin prison; and if he will list the principal conclusions of that evaluation; [16630]
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(3) pursuant to his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 736, when prisoners who had their earnings stopped or deducted on adjudication for refusing to undergo video-recorded strip searches received (a) an explanation and (b) an apology following the quashing of the adjudication; [16631]
(4) when prisoners at HM prison, Long Lartin were informed of the discontinuation of the closed-loop video system introduced for use in the prisoners' strip search room; when the cameras were removed; and how many prisoners were subject to disciplinary measures for refusing to be strip searched on the grounds that the search would be video-recorded; [16632]
(5) on what precise date video tapes recording random strip searches of prisoners at HM prison, Long Lartin in 1996 were destroyed; on what dates their destruction was ordered; and what grade of officer was instructed to supervise this process; [16633]
(6) if he will conduct an inquiry to establish whether unauthorised copies of the video recording of intimate body searches at Long Lartin were made. [16659]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answers 20 February 1997]: 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. Kevin McNamara, dated 26 February 1997.
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The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the use of video recording during the strip searching of prisoners at Long Lartin prison, its withdrawal from use and disciplinary measures taken against prisoners who refused to under video-recorded strip searches.
The Woodcock and Learmont reports indicated that much greater use should be made of CCTV and video in prisons as aids to security and safety, including during searching procedures.
The use of video during the strip searching of prisoners at Long Lartin was one of a number of new uses of video and/or CCTV introduced as part of the upgrading of dispersal prisons recommended by Sir John Woodcock. The overall upgrading programme was approved by me. Legal advice was not sought before the introduction of any new uses of video or CCTV. Ministers were kept informed in general terms of progress on the implementation of the Woodcock recommendations. They were not advised on the detailed operational aspects of implementation including the specific uses of video and CCTV.
The use of video during the strip searching of prisoners at Long Lartin was evaluated after four months of operation. The evaluation, carried out by the Directorate of Dispersals and Security Group at Prison Service Headquarters, concluded that the use of video recording did not provide sufficient improvement in the degree of protection to prisoners or staff to justify its continuance at Long Lartin or its introduction elsewhere.
The first prisoner to challenge his adjudication and have the result quashed was given an explanation on his complaint and request form in October 1996. The procedure for informing prisoners was then reviewed and each subsequent prisoner received a letter during December 1996 explaining that the Director of Dispersals had reviewed their case and since the study was a pilot the disciplinary awards had been quashed.
Each prisoner was also contacted to inform them what this would mean in their individual case.
A general notice to prisoners concerning the discontinuation of video recording during strip searches was not published. Prisoners were informed of the discontinuation on an individual basis. The cameras have not yet been physically removed, they have been disconnected and the recording facility has been removed. The system is therefore inoperative.
Ten prisoners were subject to disciplinary measures for refusing to be strip searched on the grounds that the search would be video recorded.
The video tapes which recorded the strip searches have not been destroyed. The tapes have been properly stored in a sealed bag and placed in a safe. The tapes will be incinerated in due course under properly supervised conditions.
No unauthorised copies of video recordings were made at Long Lartin prison. The authorised video recordings which took place were of strip searches not of intimate body searches.
Immigration Detainees
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration detainees have been transferred from HM prison Haslar to HM prison Rochester in each of the last three months; and if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the transfers.[17401]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 24 February 1997]: During the period 1 November to 31 January, a total of 10 immigration detainees were transferred from Haslar to Rochester. There were two such transfers in November 1996, three in December 1996 and five in January 1997.
Detainees may be transferred for a variety of reasons, but a number of transfers in early February resulted from planned refurbishment work at Haslar, which has now been postponed.
Magistrates Courts (Psychiatric Reports)
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases heard in magistrates courts in England and Wales during 1995 and 1996 were adjourned for psychiatric reports; and in how many instances applications for adjournments were turned down. [16871]
Mr. Streeter: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
ENVIRONMENT
Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16309]
Sir Paul Beresford: Registers recording the presence and treatment of asbestos, and any other hazardous materials, are maintained in the Department of the Environment's buildings. Assessments are carried out in accordance with current regulations.
Our procurement policy requires that no products containing ozone-depleting substances are purchased, and this was one of the aims of the contracts let in relation to the Department's two new headquarters buildings. Both buildings have been designed to achieve the highest standards in environmental performance; Eland house was recently awarded a very good BREEAM--Building
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Research Establishment environmental assessment method--rating, and Ashdown house is also expected to achieve a similar rating in due course.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what meetings he has had with British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months; what was the subject of the meetings; and if he will make a statement; [16290]
Sir Paul Beresford:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has not met nor received representations from the British Agrochemicals Association in the last 12 months.
(2) what representations he has received from British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. in the past 12 months; what was the subject of those representations; and if he will make a statement. [16285]
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