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12 Jan 2009 : Column 534W—continued
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons are at more than 150 per cent. of in use certified normal accommodation. [245153]
Mr. Hanson: On 31 October 2008 (latest available), there were 13 out of 140 prison establishments in England and Wales with more than 150 per cent of in use certified normal accommodation.
This information has been taken from the Ministry of Justice publication “Population in Custody Monthly Brief” which can be found at the following website:
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what procedures must be followed to consult the governor of a prison on proposals to downgrade that prison. [245458]
Mr. Hanson: Prison performance ratings are determined by Criminal Justice Strategy Group using a range of performance data. The proposed ratings are reviewed by the chief operating officer, National Offender Management Service (NOMS), who provides the opportunity for area managers to consult governors and propose moderation. Following consultation the chief operating officer may choose to submit a request to amend a rating to the moderation panel chaired by the director general of the Criminal Justice Strategy Group. Moderated ratings were published on the NOMS intranet on Friday 12 December 2008.
Prisons: Mental Health Services
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what account is taken of the security categorisation of prisoners when making decisions about moving prisoners to secure hospitals. [246207]
Mr. Hanson: The prime concern when considering the suitability of a prisoner for transfer to a mental health hospital is to guard against danger to the public that may ensue should a patient escape from, or be improperly allowed out of, that hospital.
While the prisoner's security category is an element of the consideration, account is taken of more far-reaching factors when making this decision. These include, but are not limited to:
the type and nature of the offence
length of sentence
notoriety
victim issues
previous convictions
behaviour in prison
any previous absconds
prisoner's security category
views expressed by the court
the medical practitioners' recommendations
the prisoner's past and current presenting symptoms (e.g. actively suicidal or assaultative) clinical need
Prisons: Visits
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice at which prisons it is the practice to (a) photograph and (b) take fingerprint impressions from official visitors; and what action is taken in respect of such records following a visit. [245673]
Mr. Hanson: There is no requirement for establishments to provide data to headquarters about how they use and operate their systems and there is no central record of numbers of these systems in place across the country.
The information requested is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by contacting each prison individually.
Probation Service for England and Wales
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the size of the Probation Service's caseload in England and Wales is for (a) community supervision, (b) licence and (c) through care. [246750]
Mr. Hanson: At 30 June 2008, the number of offenders supervised by the Probation Service in England and Wales under community supervision was 147,786; the number supervised on post release licence was 31,583; and the number supervised pre-release was 68,407.
These figures are taken from the Probation Statistics Quarterly Brief, April to June 2008, which can be found at the following website:
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Royal Family: Wills
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions his Department and its predecessors have had with (a) Buckingham Palace and (b) lawyers acting for the Royal Family on the publication practice on Royal wills in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [242080]
Mr. Straw: An application to seal a royal will is made to the Principal Registry of the Family Division and is decided by the President of the Family Division. In the last 10 years there have been two such applications; namely those in respect of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. So far as I am aware, there have not been any discussions between my Department and its predecessors with Buckingham Palace or lawyers acting for the Royal Family in relation to the policy or practice on the publication of royal wills.
Sexual Offences: Drugs
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to his answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1691-2W, on sexual offences: drugs, how many of the 11 convicted sex offenders referred for initial assessment have been given anti-libidinal drug treatment. [246325]
Mr. Hanson: This information is not recorded centrally. Due to the small numbers involved the information could not be obtained and reported without breaching medical confidentiality.
Sight Impaired
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidelines his Department follows in respect of making printed materials and forms accessible to people suffering red/green colour blindness. [245721]
Mr. Wills: The Department is committed to accessibility, and in respect of making printed materials and forms accessible, follows guidance which is consistent with the Royal National Institute for the Blind guidance and Central Office of Information Informability for making information accessible.
The Department’s standard approach is to produce information materials in black text on white background, which provides a good contrast for people with sight impairment, including red/green colour blindness. The Department also endeavours to provide alternative formats to meet specific needs, if required.
Young Offenders: Mental Health Services
Mrs. Moon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what meetings have taken place between the (a) National Offender Management Service and (b) Youth Justice Board and the Welsh Assembly Government to discuss the mental health needs of young offenders
(i) in custody in Wales and (ii) in young offender institutions in England who have been assessed as requiring mental health services on release in each month of 2008; and if he will make a statement. [245810]
Mr. Hanson: There is a joint Welsh Assembly Government and Youth Justice Board Youth Justice Committee for Wales that includes NOMS representation, which has responsibility for overseeing youth justice matters in Wales. This would include devolved areas of responsibility such as mental health matters for young people. The Committee meets on a quarterly basis and during 2008 met on;
30 January 2008
8 April 2008
23 July 2008
22 October 2008
Outside the Committee there is ongoing dialogue with the Welsh Assembly Government about the provision of mental health services for people in the justice system.
Bridgend Prison Health Partnership Board has recently forwarded a draft business case to the Welsh assembly Government for provision of Tier 2/3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS). That is now under consideration.
For young offender institutes in England, there is a high level programme board the Health and Social Care Policy Development Programme Board, which meets quarterly. The board oversees a programme of cross government work for this group of vulnerable children. There is also a ‘Health and Social Care Management Group’ who meet monthly. Both of these meetings have representation from Ministry of Justice, Department of Health, Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Youth Justice Board.
During 2008, the Health and Social Care Policy Development Programme Board met on;
11 March 2008
29 September 2008
15 December 2008
During 2008, the Health and Social Care Management Group met on;
24 January 2008
21 February 2008
24 April 2008
22 May 2008
19 June 2008
17 July 2008
16 October 2008
20 November 2008
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