HC Deb 13 April 1989 vol 150 cc711-2W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of women with infants imprisoned for non-violent offences.

Mr. John Patten

The Court of Appeal has made it clear that custody should be used only when a court considers it absolutely necessary. Last July, the Government published proposals for punishing in the community more offenders convicted of less serious and non-violent offences; we are considering how to take matters forward in the light of the responses to those proposals.

Meanwhile, the national standards for community service orders, which came into effect on 1 April, asked probation areas to ensure that community service placements are available for women offenders, including those who are pregnant, and offenders with young children. We are also revising the handbook "The Sentence of the Court" which reflects the Court of Appeal's guidance on the use of custody, and the new edition will refer specifically to women offenders with family responsibilities.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons allow women prisoners the right to seek pregnancy advice and counselling independent of the prison.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Prison medical officers have statutory responsibility for all aspects of the health care of prisoners. In the exercise of that responsibility they make extensive use of the specialist consultancy, treatment and counselling services of the National Health Service and other outside agencies. Whether such help is called upon in a particular case is a matter for the clinical judgment of the medical officer concerned.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pregnant women were released from prison before their confinement in each year from 1979 to 1988.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The number of pregnant women released by the exercise of the royal prerogative, between 1979 and 1988 is provided in the table. Information on pregnant women released on completion of their sentences is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pregnant inmates released by royal prerogative
Number
1979 3
1980 5
1981 3
1982 1
1983 6
1984 8
1985 8
1986 6
1987 15
1988 9

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the carrying out of a full social inquiry report on pregnant women arid mothers of dependent children before sentencing.

Mr. John Patten

Home Office policy on social inquiry reports is set out in Home Office circular 92/1986. This states that a social inquiry report should inter alia contain information about the defendant's personality and character including the family situation. I would expect social inquiry reports written on pregnant women and mothers of dependent children to draw attention to those facts without fail and to make recommendations that take account of them in order to help the courts decide on a suitable disposal.