Prisons: Suicides (Hansard, 21 January 1997)

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the Prison Service has a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing the incidence of suicide. This has been carefully developed and is based on independent research and professional expertise. The strategy is, though, kept under continual review.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Answer. Does he agree that more than half the people who committed suicide while in prison last year were remand prisoners? According to the British Medical Journal, approximately a quarter were seriously mentally disturbed. In addition, many of them were relatively young people. In the first three weeks of this year already three young men, aged 21, 19, and 17, have committed suicide. Will the Minister consider carefully the consequences of overcrowding in prison, which means that education and training schemes—the best chance to get young men and women to go straight—are having to be interrupted because people are being moved continually from prison to prison, as indicated so graphically last night by the Director of the Prison Service, Mr. Richard Tilt, in the "Panorama" television programme on the subject?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the noble Baroness asked a number of questions. I shall make every effort to answer as many as possible. The last thing the noble Baroness mentioned before the "Panorama" programme was the factors contributing to an individual's suicide, which we must all agree is tragic for all those concerned. There is no hard evidence that environmental conditions in a prison cause suicides. The quality of relationships between staff and prisoners may, for example, be of greater significance than prison conditions. The noble Baroness quoted also the Director General of the Prison Service. He has said that the Prison Service is doing everything possible further to reduce the number. We believe that the preventive strategies we have developed in prisons over the past few years have helped and will continue to do so. The noble Baroness commented also on the figures relating to remand prisoners. She is correct. The percentages relating to the young are reflected throughout the whole of the prison population.

§ Lord Taylor of Gryfe
My Lords, I am conscious of the fact that the Minister is not responsible for prisons in Scotland. However, will he convey to his right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland 547 that the concerns expressed by the noble Baroness, Lady Williams, are shared by the people of Scotland? Is he aware that during the past 18 months in the only women's prison in Scotland there have been 12 suicides or attempted suicides? Six young women have taken their lives in that one prison, and four should not have been there at all as they were on remand. Is this not a serious matter that should be addressed with some urgency?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, is correct in saying that this is a serious matter. As I said in a previous answer, it is a tragedy to all those involved, including families and those working in the prison service. I believe that the noble Lord refers to Cornton Vale Prison, which is a female remand prison. Many of those who took their lives were involved in drug-related offences. I understand that fatal accident inquiries will begin later in the year, and of course I shall pass on his thoughts to my right honourable friend.

§ Lord Marsh
My Lords, as a proportion of the non-prison population, these figures appear to be very high indeed. Can the Minister indicate, first, whether that is so and, secondly, the type of research that is being undertaken to understand the cause?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Marsh, is correct in saying that the figures are high. One must remember that those entering prisons are perhaps mentally introverted and do not want to tell people what their problems are. We are aware that there is a problem and we are making every effort to improve the situation. In particular, we are emphasising specific areas in which we believe improvements can be made: for instance, the communication of risk information; better targeting of staff training; re-examining the use of shared and unfurnished accommodation; improving reception and induction screening for prisoners and the reassessment of the special needs of young offenders and female offenders.

§ Lord Campbell of Alloway
My Lords, can my noble friend say what proportion of those suicides or attempted suicides were committed by those kept in isolation?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, I apologise to my noble friend. I do not have those figures available.

§ Lord McIntosh of Haringey
My Lords, understandably, the Minister's answers concern what can be done in prison. But, surely, arising from his first Answer, a major part of the problem is the wrongful remand in custody of those who are mentally unstable or at risk of doing harm to themselves. Should not his answers be extended to cover guidance to the courts about that important aspect of the problem?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, throughout the existing system, when individuals are arrested by the police and go before the magistrate, whether remanded 548 on bail or going further into the prison system, reports are sent back to those affected in order to inform them of those who are at risk of these dreadful tragedies.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, can the Minister say whether all prisoners are given the telephone number of the Samaritans and whether bullying is one of the problems?

The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, of course the Samaritans are heavily involved in visiting prisoners. They also train prisoners as listeners to help their fellow prisoners. I believe that 80 prisons in the Prison Service have that action in progress.

Noble Lords
Next Question!

The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)
My Lords, I am conscious of the fact that we have two more Questions. I hope that your Lordships will agree that we should give them a fair crack of the whip.