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Sir Ivan Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers, or other prison staff, have been disciplined or dismissed as a result of being involved in the supply of drugs in prisons, for such recent years as figures are available; and whether criminal prosecutions were brought in such cases. [19760]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 13 March 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 A. J. Pearson to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated 17 March 1997:
Sir Ivan Lawrence:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations have been carried out by the Prison Service Agency, since its inception, into allegations of the involvement of prison officers in the supply of drugs in prisons. [19762]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 13 March 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 A. J. Pearson to Sir Ivan lawrence, dated 17 March 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the number of investigations which have been carried out by the Prison Service Agency, since its inception, into allegations of the involvement of prison officers in the supply of drugs in prison.
Sir Ivan Lawrence:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 January to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth), Official Report, column 352-66, on the levels of purposeful activity in individual prisons, for what reason the figures for privately managed prisons for 1995-96 were not included; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards the release of information relating to privately managed prisons. [19043]
17 Mar 1997 : Column: 403
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 11 March 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.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about how many prison officers, or other prison staff, have been disciplined or dismissed as a result of being involved in the supply of drugs in prisons, for such recent years as figures are available; and whether criminal prosecutions were brought in such cases.
Since the introduction of the new Prison Service Code of Conduct and Discipline in July 1993 (which required that the outcome of all disciplinary cases should be reported to Headquarters), centrally-held records show that no members of staff have been disciplined for involvement in the supply of drugs in prisons.
However, in one case a member of staff was dismissed after he was found to be in possession of cannabis in the prison club. Three members of staff were dismissed as a result of criminal convictions involving possession of drugs, but these concerned incidents away from the prison. And, in a further two cases, members of staff resigned before any disciplinary action could be taken over allegations of illegal possession of drugs, again away from the prison.
I regret that this information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, any such allegations would be fully investigated and the appropriate action taken, including referral to the police.
Prison(10) | Average hours per week purposeful activity(11) |
---|---|
Blakenhurst | 25 |
Doncaster | 24 |
Wolds | 29 |
(10) Figures are not available for Buckley Hall as it was not fully operational during 1995-96.
(11) These figures were published in October 1996 in the Home Office Economics Unit's review of comparative costs and performance of privately and publicly operated prisons in 1995-96.
All four contracted prisons have been providing figures for purposeful activity on a monthly basis from April 1996.
The Prison Service releases all available information about contracted prisons that is not confidential. Information may be confidential for different reasons. It may be because the information is commercially confidential or because of reasons that apply equally to all prisons such as information about security.
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what occasions (a) remand and (b) convicted prisoners in HMP Holloway are required to be strip searched; if he will place in the Library the regulations concerning how such body searches should be carried out; what training is given to officers to ensure such searches are conducted in accordance with the law; if prisoners who are pregnant are exempt from such body searches; and if he will make a statement. [19739]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 11 March 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Max Madden, dated 17 March 1997:
17 Mar 1997 : Column: 404
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about strip searching of prisoners.
Both remand and convicted prisoners at Holloway are strip searched on first reception, before leaving the prison on any escort, and on their subsequent return; when their cells are searched in accordance with the local searching strategy (roughly once a month); and if they are received into the segregation unit. In addition, prisoners are liable to random strip searches after visits. The governor may also require a strip search on any occasion when this is necessary for security.
The regulations covering strip searches are contained in Prison Rule 39, and in the Prison Service Manual on Security, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Prison officers are trained in the authorised procedures for strip searching on their initial training course and receive refresher training as required.
Strip searching is a routine and necessary security measure to which all prisoners are subject. It enables prison officers to detect items of contraband, such as drugs or a weapon, which may be concealed about the person. It is not possible to detect some illicit items by use of X-ray portals or hand-held metal detectors.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) remand and (b) convicted prisoners, detained at Her Majesty's prison Holloway over the last year have been required to authorise the destruction of flowers sent to them; and what arrangements exist for prisoners to request that flowers which they have received are placed in other parts of the prison. [19741]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 11 March 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Max Madden, dated 17 March 1997:
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the education programmes at HMP Holloway in 1997; what assessment he has made of the impact of those plans on prisoners, with particular reference to the amount of time spent confined to cells; and if he will make a statement. [19745]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 11 March 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Max Madden, dated 17 March 1997:
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances (a) remand and (b) convicted prisoners, detained at HMP Holloway, are required to accept deductions from income in respect of board and lodging charges; and if he will make a statement. [19742]
Miss Widdecombe
[holding answer 11 March 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.
17 Mar 1997 : Column: 405
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Max Madden, dated 17 March 1997:
17 Mar 1997 : Column: 406
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the requirement for prisoners to authorise the destruction of flowers sent to them at Holloway prison and the arrangements for prisoners to request that flowers are placed in other parts of the prison.
No prisoners have been required to authorise the destruction of flowers at Holloway prison. There are no established arrangements for prisoners to request that flowers they have received are placed in other parts of the prison.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about education programmes at Holloway prison.
There are no plans to make any changes to the level of educational provision at Holloway prison during 1997. There is currently an average of 80 prisoners on the daytime programme, studying for 21 hours a week. There is an average of 18 prisoners on evening classes for 6 hours a week.
The average time a prisoner at Holloway prison is unlocked is currently 10.5 hours per weekday.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about deductions of income at Holloway prison in respect of board and lodging charges.
Deductions are made from prisoners in jobs where they are paid 'real wages'. These prisoners contribute 25 per cent of their earnings to the prison--up to a maximum of £24 a week.
There are currently six prisoners employed full-time in such positions, each earning an average of approximately £75 a week. In addition, up to 40 prisoners are employed on a casual basis earning on average approximately £20 a week.
With the exception of one of the full-time positions--which involves working outside the prison and is therefore restricted to convicted prisoners--these jobs are open to both convicted and unconvicted prisoners.
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