| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Written Answers
Wednesday, 15th January 1997.
Right of Individual Petition: Official Records
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will make available to the public, under the 30-year rule, the official records relating to the government's decision in December 1966 for the first time accepting the right of individual petition, under Article 25 of the European Convention on Human Rights, enabling persons complaining of breaches of the Convention by the United Kingdom to petition the European Commission of Human Rights.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): The records are available to the public at the Public Record Office at file reference FO 371/190591-2.
Atrush Camp, Northern Iraq
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees consulted them about the proposed closure of the refugee camp at Atrush in northern Iraq; whether they consider that, in view of attacks on the camp by KDP forces, and the absence of any alternative proposals by UNHCR to ensure the security and well-being of the refugees, they can be said to give informed consent to their repatriation, and whether the United Kingdom will insist on consultation with representatives of the refugees in Atrush, as well as unimpeded access by humanitarian agencies and human rights NGOs to the emergency region in Turkey, to which it is proposed that they return, as part of any international endorsement of the proposed arrangements.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: Given our humanitarian interest in the region we have discussed the situation at Atrush Camp with UNHCR. However, the decision to close the camp was one for them to take. UNHCR have made clear that they will assist anyone wishing to return to Turkey. They are currently looking
at possible solutions for those who choose not to do so, and have said that refugees will not be forced to return, Monitoring the situation inside Turkey for those who do return is part of the UNHCR's standard practice; we expect the Turkish authorities to co-operate with the UNHCR.High Security Prisons
Lord Clark of Kempston asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have for changes in the high security prison estate.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): The Director General of the Prison Service is today announcing that the following eight prisons will be released from the high security Category A estate: Birmingham, Bullingdon, Elmley, Leeds, Liverpool, Swaleside, Winchester and Wormwood Scrubs.
The high security Category A estate will comprise the following 13 prisons: Belmarsh, Frankland, Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Wakefield, Whitemoor, Altcourse, Bristol, Doncaster, Durham, High Down, Manchester and Woodhill.
In addition, Hull prison will be available on occasion to take Category A prisoners in its Control Review Committee Unit for disruptive prisoners but only until alternative accommodation can be provided elsewhere. There will also be some other occasions when individual Category A prisoners will have to be held temporarily outside the Category A estate for reasons of operational necessity.
Funding has been made available to complete the upgrading of physical and procedural security at the 13 prisons, in accordance with the recommendations in the Woodcock Report. The work will be completed at 11 of the 13 prisons by May 1997, in accordance with the timetable published in February 1995, at Doncaster by September 1997 and at Altcourse when the prison opens in spring 1998.
The Director General is also announcing the implementation of a further 11 recommendations of the Learmont Report, in addition to the 100 recommendations set out in the implementation progress report published in July 1996.
Details are set out in a further implementation progress report which has been placed in the Library.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |