HC Deb 22 June 1995 vol 262 cc462-3
3. Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to prevent drugs from entering prisons and to ensure prisoners are properly searched. [28399]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Michael Forsyth)

A number of measures are in place to ensure that we take effective action to prevent drugs from entering prisons. These include the greater use of sniffer dogs, closed circuit television in visits areas, the introduction of closed visits for people who are found to be involved in drug taking or handling in prison and the introduction of mandatory testing.

Mr. Field

My right hon. Friend will be aware of the exceptional case in one of the prisons on the Isle of Wight where a prisoner had drugs secreted up his backside. As the British Medical Association does not allow doctors to perform internal searches of prisoners, he was not able to be arrested and he got the drugs into the prison. Is he further aware that prisoners shuffle their chairs over to the other side of the table during open visits to partake in intimate embraces with their visitors, during which drugs are passed? Why cannot the chairs be nailed to the floor? Why should not closed visits be the norm and open visits be earned as a privilege?

Can my right hon. Friend explain why Judge Tumim continues to berate routine searching for drugs yet criticises the presence of drugs in prisons?

Mr. Forsyth

The judge must answer for himself on those matters. My hon. Friend wrote to me in, I think, November about the case that he mentioned in his question. I have been reviewing the policy on internal searches when drugs are believed to be concealed. We shall shortly consult on how we might strengthen the law in that regard.

My hon. Friend asks about closed visits. I can go some way towards meeting his request in so far as closed visits will apply where prisoners are suspected of taking drugs or where visitors have brought drugs in for prisoners.

My hon. Friend asked about visiting areas and I agree that we need to take further steps to ensure that visits are not used for any purpose other than those for which they are intended. The Director General of the Prison Service will see that surveillance and the strict enforcement of rules are carried out.

Mr. George Howarth

Is the Minister aware that Judge Tumim has reported that, for example, about 80 per cent. of inmates in Styal prison were routinely involved in the taking of illegal drugs? What have been the results so far from the introduction of mandatory drug testing in prisons? He has already mentioned some ideas, but what further measures will he consider to try to stem this tide of illegal drugs in our prisons?

Mr. Forsyth

Of course I am aware of the comments about Styal prison. Mandatory testing, which is an important part of the fight against drugs, has been successfully introduced on the basis of a rolling programme. Evidence shows that it is not only identifying drug misuse but that it is welcomed by a number of prisoners who see it as a step forward. Mandatory testing will enable us to identify drug misuse and tackle the sources of drugs. It will also enable us to ensure that proper systems of treatment are in place. Prisoners will be given treatment and support to get them off drugs so that when they leave prison they do not continue to take them, reoffend and find themselves returning to prison.

Sir Ivan Lawrence

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we welcome his latest proposals to stop personal contact between prisoners and visitors in top security prisons and in prisons where drug offences have been suspected? It has been a source of puzzlement to many of us over the past few years why there is not a glass partition between visitors and prisoners sentenced for more serious cases. For some reason there has been reluctance to have such a partition. Will he take on board the fact that most people would like such a restriction to be imposed on prisoners?

Mr. Forsyth

As my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) said, we have introduced closed visits for exceptional risk category A prisoners as a matter of course. We have said that we shall introduce closed visits where prisoners have been found to be abusing visits and are involved in drug taking or the handling of drugs. I do not think that it would be right to introduce closed visits for all prisoners. Where prisoners are found to be involved in illegal practices, closed visits are justified, but the purpose of prison is to punish the prisoner, not families, and it is appropriate that families should be able to visit prisoners in an open situation—provided the rules are observed.