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Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report
Sir Norman Fowler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if (a) he and (b) his officials had seen a copy of the edition of The Sunday Telegraph of 21 February containing a number of paragraphs from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report before he sought an injunction against that paper; and if he will make a statement. [75819]
Mr. Straw: No. Neither I nor my officials had seen a copy of The Sunday Telegraph of 21 February before I sought an injunction against that paper. I explained the circumstances and the information available to me, which led me to seek an injunction, in my oral statement to the House on 22 February 1999, Official Report, columns 21-34.
Sir Norman Fowler:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what time on 20 February he informed the Minister of State, Home Office, the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), that he intended to seek an injunction against The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [75817]
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Mr. Straw:
The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), was informed by a Private Secretary at around 8.30pm on Saturday 20 February that I intended to seek an injunction against The Sunday Telegraph.
Sir Norman Fowler:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what time on 20 February he informed the Prime Minister's Office he intended to seek an injunction against The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [75816]
Mr. Straw:
The Prime Minister's Office was informed around 7pm on Saturday 20 February that I intended to seek an injunction against The Sunday Telegraph.
Sir Norman Fowler:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what time on 20 February he applied for an injunction against The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [75818]
Mr. Straw:
The application was made by telephone by Counsel acting on my behalf between 8pm and 8.15pm on the evening of Saturday 20 February. I made an oral statement to the House on 22 February 1999, Official Report, columns 21-34.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of offenders in each year for the last 10 years for which figures are available who have been directed under section 39 of the Mental Health Act 1983 for appropriate hospital treatment but have remained in prison. [74798]
Mr. George Howarth:
The available information relates to receptions of persons into prisons in England and Wales under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983, and is given in the table.
| Year | Number of receptions into prisons |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 165 |
| 1990 | 159 |
| 1991 | 121 |
| 1992 | (14)-- |
| 1993 | 148 |
| 1994 | 271 |
| 1995 | 202 |
| 1996 | 216 |
| 1997 | 196 |
| 1998(15) | 192 |
(14) Not available
(15) Provisional
Mrs. D. J. L. Sidey
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ensure the return to Mrs. D. J. L. Sidey of 4 Hoskings Court, Strode Road, Buckfastleigh, South Devon TQ11 0PF, before the end of March of her passports currently at Lunar House, Croydon, including her old Chinese passport No. 2041144; [75205]
10 Mar 1999 : Column: 278
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Mrs. Sidey's new and expired passports were returned to her on 1 March 1999 unendorsed, as requested in the letter of 5 February 1999.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) nature, (b) content and (c) success rate of (i) alcoholism and (ii) drug rehabilitation programmes for prisoners. [74799]
Mr. George Howarth:
The Prison Service currently provides a range of rehabilitation programmes applicable to both drug and alcohol addiction. These include Minnesota 12-step, cognitive behavioural and relapse prevention programmes, in addition to longer-term therapeutic communities.
Although the programmes vary in structure, content and delivery, they all incorporate educational and counselling group-work forms of therapy. Community drug agencies are involved in the development and delivery of all drug rehabilitation programmes and work in partnership with prison staff.
Independent evaluation of the first tranche of drug rehabilitation programmes found completion rates to be broadly comparable to those achieved in the community. The Prison Service requires all rehabilitation programmes to gain central accreditation by April 2002 and, over the next three years, will commission independent research to assess the longer-term effects of rehabilitation upon offending and drug misuse.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the joint report with the Health Department on the Prison Medical Service. [74800]
Mr. George Howarth:
Department of Health and Home Office Ministers have been considering carefully the review's findings and recommendations, in consultation with other Ministers with an interest. I anticipate the Government will be in a position to make an announcement and publish the report shortly.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the number of prison medical officers and doctors needed by the Prison Service with a diploma in psychiatric medicine or a more advanced qualification; [74802]
Mr. George Howarth:
About 230 full-time or part-time doctors currently provide primary care in Prison Service establishments. There are 25 vacancies. The most recent survey indicates that at least 20 doctors have a postgraduate qualification in psychiatric medicine.
10 Mar 1999 : Column: 279
The issues of organisation, staffing and qualifications of staff working in prison health care are among those considered by a joint Prison Service and NHS Executive Working Group. The Group's Report is currently under consideration by the Government, and it is planned to publish the Report and to make an announcement shortly.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have gained the Nottingham University Diploma in Prison Medicine since its inception; and what proportion of diploma holders are currently working in the Prison Service. [74803]
Mr. George Howarth:
Nine prison doctors have graduated in the two-year Diploma in Prison Medicine since it started at the University of Nottingham in 1996. I was present when they all graduated in December 1998. They are all currently in the employment of the Prison Service.
Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners (a) on remand and (b) sentenced are awaiting transfer to an NHS hospital. [74801]
Mr. George Howarth:
On 4 March 1999, the Mental Health Unit of the Home Office, which authorises transfers to hospital exercising the warrant of the Secretary of State, had 20 cases of remand prisoners on which medical reports had been submitted by prisons recommending transfer to hospital under section 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983. On the same date, the Unit also had 18 cases of sentenced prisoners on whom medical
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reports had been submitted by prisons recommending transfer to hospital under section 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if (a) he, (b) civil servants in his Department or (c) special advisers in his Department have (i) had sight of drafts of select committee reports, in whole or in part, or (ii) been informed of conclusions of select committee reports prior to their publication by the select committees. [75870]
Mr. Straw:
Apart from the transcripts of evidence given by Ministers and officials, and embargoed copies of reports supplied in the normal way by Select Committees under House of Commons Standing Orders, there have been no instances of members of Select Committees giving me drafts of Select Committee reports, or of parts of reports including their conclusions, before publication. Nor, to the best of my knowledge, have there been any occasions on which members of Select Committees have given such material to civil servants or special advisers in my Department.
(2) if he will ensure that, when Mrs. D. J. L. Sidey of 4 Hoskings Court, Strode Road, Buckfastleigh, South Devon TQ11 0PF, receives her new passport from the Immigration and Nationality Department it is endorsed with the grant of indefinite leave to remain. [75204]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of appropriately qualified prison medical officers needed for the Service; and if he will make a statement. [74804]
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