§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the breathing apparatus to be made available to island prisons; and if he will make a statement on the delay in providing the equipment.
§ Mr. Peter LloydGovernors of the three Island prisons were asked in October to assess the numbers of sets of short duration breathing apparatus required for their establishments as part of a service-wide initiative to replace smoke hoods. Parkhurst prison has been in possession of conventional breathing apparatus since 1988.
A programme of training is now planned and the Island prisons will be among the first to receive it in December 1992. Following training, equipment will be supplied to the establishments. The delay in the provision of equipment and training is a consequence of a delay in the signing of the relevant contract.