§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons selected for the pilot schemes on staff compacts described in paragraph 4.12 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice".
§ Mr. Peter LloydNo decision has been reached on which establishments should be used for the pilot scheme.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that name badges will be introduced for all staff on duty in prisons.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWe continue to discuss with staff and their representatives the introduction of name badges. It will he our intention once these discussions have been concluded to obtain and introduce them as soon as practicable.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons male convicted prisoners are now allowed to wear their own clothes.
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§ Mr. Peter LloydThe White Paper, "Custody, Care and Justice", announced the Government's intention to extend the wearing of own clothes by male convicted prisoners. A pilot scheme began at HMP Belmarsh in April 1991 and this will be extended to HMP Wellingborough and HMYOI Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood by the end of this year. HMP Highdown and HMP Woodhill will also allow own clothing when they open this year. In addition, some establishments already allow male convicted prisoners to wear certain items of their own clothing.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the outcome of the review of the reception and induction arrangements for prisoners to which paragraph 7.17 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" refers.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe review has led to the production of a new guide on the management of admission arrangements which is to be issued to prison governors shortly.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons are likely to provide bail units, and how many to provide bail information schemes, before the end of the current financial year.
§ Mr. JackAll local prisons and remand centres have a bail unit or bail officer. Bail information schemes are expected to be in place at more than 20 establishments before the end of the current financial year.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in which it is proposed to conduct experiments under which prisoners may have televisions in their cells or rooms.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe White Paper, "Custody, Care and Justice", announced that closely monitored trials would take place at a small number of establishments to test the use of televisions in cells.
A trial of battery-operated televisions began at HMP The Mount in December 1991. Trials of mains-powered sets will be held at Manchester and Stocken prisons when the necessary cabling work has been completed later in the year. In-cell television will be tested in other establishments if the need arises.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he has set for card phones to be available in prisons which currently lack that facility.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe current programme of installation of cardphones for prisoners' use is scheduled for completion by the end of July 1992 save in a small number of establishments undergoing major refurbishment or building work. Installation in these establishments will take place as soon as practicable.