HL Deb 24 July 1981 vol 423 cc480-2

11.30 a.m.

Lord Avebury

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why cell cards are not made available to prisoners in HM Prisons in England and Wales giving up-to-date information about the content of the prison rules, standing orders and circular instructions.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, the department supplies a range of cell cards to every prison, and governors are required by standing orders to ensure that each prisoner is provided in his cell or room with copies appropriate to his status. If cell cards are not available in some establishments or parts of establishments, this is likely to be because persistent vandalism by prisoners has led to alternative arrangements such as keeping sets of cards, to which prisoners have access, in a wing office and the library, and providing induction sessions.

Lord Avebury

My Lords, would not the Minister agree that the cell cards that are placed in the cells at present are inaccurate and that he told me in a letter of 29th January that a major revision of cell cards is in an advanced stage of preparation? Yet, on 15th July—six months later—he tells me in another letter that cell cards are in the course of extensive revision.

With regard to the rules for prisoners' correspondence, is the Minister aware that the prison authorities do not allow extracts from the relevant standing orders and circular instructions to be sent to prisoners from outside; yet if the prisoners apply to the European Commission for Human Rights they may obtain complete sets of the relevant standing orders and circular instructions which have been published as Appendix 4 to the Commission's report on the case of Silver and others? Is it not absurd that the Home Office should refuse prisoners access to documents which they can obtain from the European Commission for Human Rights?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, it is the view of the Prison Department that the cell cards need updating. That is the reason why they are being updated. So far as standing orders and circular instructions are concerned, those are for the guidance of management and that is the reason why they are not communicated to prisoners.

The Earl of Longford

My Lords, is it not clear from the report of the European Commission condemning our conduct in this country in a number of respects, that prisoners in this country are today gravely handicapped through lack of information or, indeed, through out-of-date information?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I would not agree with that.

Baroness Vickers

My Lords, in view of the fact that not everybody speaks English or understands very elaborate English, are these now being printed in other languages?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, that is one of the matters at which I think we are looking at present. It is true, as the noble Lord, Lord Avebury says, that the present cell cards needed overhauling. But I should like to say to my noble friend Lady Vickers that one of the general practices which goes on in prisons is to encourage prisoners to consult wing officers, governors and members of boards of visitors so that they can say if they do not understand things which should be told to them. Immediately they come into prison it is the general practice to hold what are called induction sessions—where immediately, of course it can be seen if there is a prisoner who simply cannot speak English—and, in remand prisons, governors are encouraged, and have for a long time been encouraged, to display wall notices in the reception areas.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, is the Minister aware that I have been in a cell and seen the cell cards and that, necessarily, they are very brief? In view of the fact that the rights of prisoners have now largely been extended and are likely to be extended still further when we apply in this country the changes that have been made in Northern Ireland, is it not necessary to supplement any brief cell card by a statement to prisoners of their rights?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, we are looking at the necessity for supplementing the cell card at present, and I think that we must await the outcome of that study.

Lord Avebury

My Lords, is it the policy of the Government to wait until the judgment of the European Court in the case of Silver and others before republishing the cell cards, or any other information available to prisoners? Is that the reason for the prolonged and otherwise inexplicable delays which have occurred since he wrote to me in January?

Lord Belstead

No, my Lords, it is not an easy thing to complete. We must get it right and I can assure the noble Lord that we are pressing ahead with it.