§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are taken to review the position of prisoners who have been held in solitary confinement for more than 10 days by a 260W person or persons independent of the prison authorities in which the prisoner is held;
(2) how many persons in the United Kingdom were being held in prison in solitary confinement as at 3rd April 1974; and how many of these had been so held for less than five days, six to 10 days, 11 to 20 days, and more than 20 days, respectively.
§ Dr. SummerskillIn England and Wales on 1st April, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 52 prisoners were withdrawn from all association with other prisoners. Of these 24 had been so segregated for less than six days, two for between six and 10 days, eight for between 11 and 20 days, and 18 for more than 20 days.
Prisoners may be ordered to be removed wholly from association either as a disciplinary award of cellular confinement following an adjudication or under Rule 43 of the Prison Rules for the maintenance of good order and discipline or in the prisoner's own interest. The maximum award of cellular confinement available to a prison governor is three days. The award of longer periods is only available to boards of visitors up to a maximum of 56 days. A prisoner may not be removed, either partially or wholly, from association under Rule 43 for longer than 24 hours without the authority of a member of the board of visitors or the Secretary of State. Such an authority may be given for periods not exceeding one month and must be renewed if removal from association is to continue thereafter.