Holloway Prison: Drug Addicts (Hansard, 3 December 1986)

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, no. Individual treatment is available for women who have drug dependency problems, and this may include psychotherapy.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for his Answer. However, is he aware that the problem of women who are sentenced for drug-related crimes is escalating? It is estimated that in 1979 there were about 56, and the figure rose to 136 in 1985. In view of that and the fact that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs commended and applauded Holloway for setting up an in-house therapeutic unit within the prison, does he not think it was a great mistake to close down the therapeutic group in the A5 wing at Holloway without any notice, when in fact it was responding to the needs of the women who were trying to kick the habit while they were in prison?

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, group therapy is not at present provided because in general prisoners do not stay long enough at Holloway for group work to be viable. Population pressures are such that sentenced women are transferred quickly to other prisons to release places and to reduce the need for women to be remanded in police cells.

§ Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge
My Lords, am I right in thinking that group therapy is not provided in male prisons either?

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, I am not able to answer that question, but I shall write to the noble Lord.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, having regard to the fact that most of us want to see more curative treatment in prison, is this not an opportunity for dealing with a cause of crime and giving the women occupants of Holloway the opportunity of having group therapy? Is that not something which would be a credit to the prison service?

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, I think I should say that individual therapy which is available at Holloway 814 should not be regarded as a poor substitute for group therapy. It is an effective way of conducting therapy on a one-to-one basis, and many individuals are simply not suitable for group psychotherapy.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, as I am, by sheer coincidence, visiting this unit at Holloway later today in my capacity as chairman of MIND and of Phoenix House (a drug project) and intend to discuss this important form of therapy for psychiatric and also drug cases, I wonder whether the Minister can give some slightly more encouraging words which I might he able to use when discussing the issue at Holloway this afternoon. I am particularly bearing in mind the really frightening number of suicide cases among women drug addicts almost immediately after leaving prison.

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, plans are in hand to open up more accommodation at Holloway, which would mean that more women will serve their sentences there. At the moment there are four women receiving individual psychotherapy, but 40 per cent. of those who are admitted to the prison have some degree of dependence on drugs. Early results suggest that one in three of all young adults using opiates who are dried out and receive no further treatment do not resort to their former habit.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, does the Minister's answer to my noble friend that there will be more accommodation available for women prisoners in Holloway mean that the Government are prepared to reconsider this question of group therapy for drug treatment if the number of prisoners at Holloway goes up? Is the matter therefore still under review?

§ Lord Beaverbrook
Yes, my Lords. We are prepared to reintroduce group psychotherapy if a viable number of prisoners are able to take benefit from it.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, would the noble Lord say that the time factor then is not of such importance? Also, would he perhaps comment on the recommendation of the advisory council that further therapeutic units for dependency on the lines of those at Holloway should be established? Would he also briefly comment on what was said by the Social Services Committee of the House of Commons, which published in its report a note about its deep concern at the time so many addicts spend in custody, which represents a wasted opportunity for tackling the problem of their addiction?

§ Lord Beaverbrook
My Lords, the Government are tackling the problem of drug addiction, particularly in prisons, on a number of fronts and consistent with their strategy set out in Tackling Drug Misuse, a summary of the government's strategy.
We have set about strengthening arrangements for preventing the entry into prison of illicit drugs and developing the support available to prisoners with drug problems who are prepared to accept such help. In particular, we are very encouraged by the discussions and co-operation taking place between Holloway and the inner London probation service.