§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued concerning the grievance procedure for unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A; and whether he will put a copy in the Library.
§ Mr. HurdGuidance to governors about the grievance procedures, which are available to all prisoners, is contained in various circular instructions and standing orders. That concerning petitions to the Secretary of State is given, for example, in standing order 5 and circular instructions 34/1981. Copies of both are in the Library. Guidance to prisoners is given in an information booklet given to each prisoner on reception.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance he has issued concerning visits to unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A; and whether he will put a copy in the Library;
(2) what guidance he has issued concerning the provisional categorisation procedure for unconvicted prisoners; and whether he will place a copy in the Library.
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§ Mr. HurdGuidance to governors regarding the provisional categorisation procedure for unconvicted prisoners and the arrangements for visits to such prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A is contained in various instructions, the principal one being circular instruction 10/1976 (including amendments Nos. 1 and 2), a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any restriction is put on the number of people who may visit an unconvicted prisoner who has been provisionally put in category A during one week.
§ Mr. HurdThere is no restriction on the number of people who may visit an unconvicted prisoner who has been put provisionally in category A, but the number of visitors who may visit at any one time is limited; the availability of resources may restrict the number and duration of visits in any one week; and individual visits may be refused on security grounds.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons are used to hold unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is given to unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A about the arrangements to be made for visits; and whether these unconvicted prisoners are invited to submit lists of relatives and friends who may wish to visit them.
§ Mr. HurdAll unconvicted prisoners are given an informaion booklet in which it is explained that details of the arrangments for visits may be obtained from the landing officer or in greater detail from standing order 5, a copy of which is held in each prison library. A prisoner may purchase a copy of the standing order or a booklet that summarises the main provisions. Only those unconvicted prisoners who are held provisionally in category A and who have been made subject to the approved visitors scheme are required to submit the names and addresses of those persons by whom they wish to be visited. The arrangements are explained in a notice given to such prisoners.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made for visits by priests to unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A and profess religions other than Christianity.
§ Mr. HurdUnder prison rules a prison minister, who may be appointed for a religious denomination other than Church of England in any establishment where the number of inmates of the particular denomination justifies it, is 59W required to visit inmates of his denomination as often as he reasonably can. Where an inmate belongs to a denomination for which a prison minister has been appointed, the governor is required to do what he reasonably can, if so requested by the inmate, to arrange for regular visits by a minister of that denomination. Additionally, an inmate of any denomination may be permitted an occasional visit from his home minister. These provisions apply to pastoral visits for unconvicted inmates provisionally put in category A as to those for all other inmates, subject only to the governor's overriding discretion to take whatever steps may be necessary, in the interests of security in any particular case, to establish a minister's bona fides.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving unconvicted prisoners who had been provisionally put in category A were reported to his Department direct from establishments or through the regional offices in January.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted prisoners had been provisionally put in category A on 31 December 1978, 31 December 1979 and 31 December 1983.
§ Mr. HurdOn the dates mentioned the number of unconvicted prisoners in England and Wales held provisionally in category A was 57, 71 and 88 respectively.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Wormwood scrubs prison;
(2) what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Winston green prison.
§ Mr. HurdUnfortunately no work is available for unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Wormwood scrubs and Birmingham prisons.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Pentonville prison.
§ Mr. HurdPentonville prison does not hold unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Hull prison;
(2) what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Gartree prison;
(3) what arrangements are currently made for work by unconvicted prisoners who have been provisionally put in category A at Albany prison.
§ Mr. Terry Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many unconvicted prisoners were put in category A in the south-west region during the month of February;
60W(2) how many unconvicted prisoners were put in category A in the south-east region during the month of February;
(3) how many unconvicted prisoners were put in category A in the northern region during the month of February;
(4) how many unconvicted prisoners were put in category A in the midlands region during the month of February.
§ Mr. HurdThe information requested is as follows:
Number South-west region 0 South-east region 7 North region 1 Midland region 2