§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners gave birth during imprisonment in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; in which prisons the women were held before the birth; in which prisons the women were held after the birth; and where the births took place.
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§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 May 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of women who have given birth while serving a prison sentence in each of the last ten years; in which prisons the women were held before the birth; in which prisons the women were held after the birth; and where the births took place.The annual reports on the work of the Prison Service until 1991–92 record the number of women temporarily removed to outside hospital for delivery and returning to establishments afterwards. Figures are now published in the annual report of the Director of Health Care for prisoners. The figures are:
Numbers 1983 70 11984–85 70 1985–86 71 1986–87 62 1987–88 75 1988–89 63 1989–90 74 1990–91 65 1991–92 56 1992–93 29 1 15 month period. In addition there were six deliveries within Prison Service establishments:
Numbers 1983 1 1984–85 1 1985–86 1 1987–88 1 1988–89 2 Pregnant women who wish to keep their babies with them in prison are held in Holloway, Styal or Askham Grange. It is not possible to say which prisons women were held in after the birth as such detailed records are not kept. If the baby remained with the mother on a prison mother and baby unit they would have been in Holloway, Askham Grange or Styal prisons. If the mother made alternative arrangements for the care of her baby then it is possible she may have been held in any of the women's establishments.