§ 2.58 p.m.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy 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 how many prisoners and staff have been injured by fires in penal institutions during the last five years.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Belstead)My Lords, our records for the years from 1977 to 1981 show that 66 prisoners and 10 staff suffered cuts, burns or other injuries as a result of cell fires. We do not have information collected centrally about injuries resulting from other fires.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for his reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that one of the main dangers is toxic fumes from the smoke from mattresses which are now used in our prisons and other penal establishments, and whether the Government are considering supplying other mattresses and giving breathing equipment to prison staff?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, we are now testing five different types of mattress to find one which is more resistant to fire than polyurethane foam mattresses and one which, if ignited, will give off less toxic fumes. So far as breathing equipment is concerned, we are also testing two types of smoke protection hoods in four different establishments. These hoods would not be used for fighting fires but for rescuing a prisoner from a smoke-filled cell.
§ Lord Boston of FavershamMy Lords, can the Minister say whether the number of fires has been increasing in recent years? Can he give any indication of the proportion of fires which appear to have been started deliberately? And is he satisfied that everything possible is being done by way both of the adequacy of supervision staff and of precautions?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the number of fires has, broadly speaking, been increasing. I cannot, I am afraid, give the noble Lord figures of the numbers which have been started deliberately. As for precautions, I replied to the noble Baroness about the tests being carried out now on mattresses, because we believe that they are the main cause of fire in prisons, or, rather, the main hazard of fire in prisons arises from them.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy Lords, would it be a good idea if the prisoners themselves made some of their new mattresses, so giving them employment and saving them being shut up in their cells for 23 hours a day?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the mattresses which are now being tested are the products of firms which have developed them themselves. They would, I have no doubt, wish to secure the contract, if there is to be a contract, and we should have to look at the noble Baroness's suggestion in that light.