§ 8. Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies have been carried out to ascertain the effects of prison life upon young children.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe Home Office Research Unit has made a study of the immediate effect of the imprisonment of women upon their children left in the community. The number of children brought into prison is so small, and the period for which they remain is so short, that a study of the effect which the experience has upon them would be a very long-term project.
§ Miss LestorI accept that the intention behind the proposal for keeping young children in prison with their mothers for a longer period, if necessary, is entirely compassionate. Does the hon. and learned Gentleman agree that we are working in the dark concerning the long-term effects upon young children? Will he, even at this late stage in the proposal for the new Holloway, consider alternative methods of dealing with women offenders with pre-school children?
§ Mr. CarlisleI accept that we have no research evidence to show the effect 1496 on a young child of spending a part of his time in prison with his mother. All I should say—I have been over this ground many times before—is that there will always be a proportion of women offenders for whom prison is probably the only possible punishment. In those circumstances, the Government think it right to press ahead with the rebuilding of Holloway, as was proposed by the previous Administration.