HL Deb 01 November 2004 vol 666 cc5-6WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the allegations published in the Guardian on 11 October, regarding the conditions and circumstances in which Joseph Scholes was detained at the Stoke Heath young offender institution before his suicide, were correct; and, if so, whether this treatment was appropriate. [HL4527]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Joseph Scholes died aged 16 at Stoke Heath young offender institution on 24 March 2002 while serving a two-year detention and training order. A coroner's inquest on 30 April 2004 returned a verdict of "Accidental death in part contributed to because the risk was not properly recognised and appropriate precautions were not taken to prevent it". The jury stated that, on the evidence presented, the care given to Joseph at Stoke Heath by medical, nursing and other prison staff was appropriate, but that they considered unsuitable the safer clothing provided for Joseph.

Prison Service policy is that normal clothing must not be removed from at-risk prisoners as a matter of course, but as necessary for the immediate safety of the prisoner, and then for the shortest time possible. During his first four days at Stoke Heath, while Joseph was located in the healthcare centre in a cell that had elements of safer cell design and was covered by CCTV, it was considered necessary, for his own protection, for Joseph to wear safer (or protective) clothing. He was not wearing such clothing at the time of his death.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Paul Goggins), announced on 16 September (Hansard col. 159WS) measures taken to ensure that matters raised by the coroner in this case received further consideration. These included the appointment of David Lambert, a former Chief Inspector of Social Services, to examine operational issues on the inquest identified. Mr Lambert's remit includes the appropriateness of safer cell clothing for young offenders at risk of self-harm.

There have been a number of key improvements in the care of juveniles in prisons and my honourable friend has made clear his intention to share with Mrs Scholes the learning from this tragic case.