§ 2.47 p.m.
§ LORD HASTINGSMy 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 what is the procedure in Her Majesty's prisons to ensure that prisoners suffering from epilepsy receive the correct medical attention, and whether any improvement in this respect has been made during the last eighteen months.]
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, all prisoners are seen by the medical officer on their reception into prison. Epileptic prisoners are treated with modern anticonvulsant drugs, and the prison regime is adjusted to suit their individual requirements. In general, they are encouraged to lead as normal a life as possible, but they are kept under regular review by the medical staff. New cases of epilepsy are investigated in conjunction with National Health Service hospitals. Work for epileptic prisoners is arranged to avoid liability to injury in the event of a fit, and they are accommodated in special cells which have no projections and are provided with rubber floors. During the past eighteen months consideration has been given to improving these special rooms and to providing more suitable furniture.
We have commenced, under the direction of a consultant psychiatrist, a research project involving the physical and psychiatric examination of a representative number of epileptic prisoners, for the purpose of research into the problems of epileptics in prisons and borstals, and into possible relationships between epilepsy and crime.
§ LORD HASTINGSMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer. Is he aware, as to the significance of the second part of my Question, relating to eighteen months, that it was put down because a somewhat similar Question was asked in this House that period of time ago? Is he further aware that, owing to my connection with the British Epilepsy Association, I know that certain useful consultations took place between my noble friend Lord Jellicoe and the British Epilepsy Association, although that Association have not actually been informed of the action taken? I am sure that the Answer given by the noble Lord will cause a good deal of satisfaction to them.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord for his support and for what he has said, especially because, as he is well aware, this is a matter in which I myself have taken a particular interest for a long time. I am sorry that the British Epilepsy Association have not been informed of this, because they are of great help to my Department, particularly in finding employment for epileptic ex-prisoners, which can be extremely difficult.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, I am extremely interested in what the noble Lord has said and I am wondering whether he is in a position to tell us who is going to be in charge of this service and of the research into this matter. Secondly, what does he mean by "particular" and "special" types of furniture which is supplied in the cells?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, Dr. T. C. N. Gibbens, the consultant psychiatrist from the Maudsley Hospital is in charge of the research, in association with the senior medical officer at Brixton Prison. With regard to the special furniture, it is a bit of a "dog's breakfast" at present, because we have stuffed furniture which is not wholly suitable and new, specially designed furniture is coming in and will eventually be used in all cells for epileptics. Generally speaking, it is furniture which is so constructed that there are no projecting parts, so that if an epileptic falls there is much less danger of his hurting himself than there otherwise would be.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his answer.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, would my noble friend say whether these arrangements have been introduced in all prisons; and, if not, whether arrangements have been made to remove epileptic prisoners from the smaller prisons to the larger ones where facilities are available?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I cannot say that in all the smaller prisons we have enough special accommodation for any known epileptics who may be brought into them. Sometimes it means that if the special cell, which is in all prisons of any size, is full, we have to improvise special cells by putting matting on the floor in place of rubber, and improvise the furniture. As soon as possible thereafter those prisoners are transferred, as my noble friend thought might be the case, to the larger prisons where we already have more adequate facilities.
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, may I inform the noble Lord how much pleasure his reply and his supplementary replies have given to the many Members of your Lordships' House who are interested in this matter?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I am most grateful. I would say that the prison medical staff and, indeed, the Director of the Prison Medical Service, have this matter very much in their minds.