§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of AIDS have been reported in United Kingdom prisons in each of the past eight years; and if he will make a statement.
§ 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 Mr. Alex Carlile dated 11 May 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to respond to your recent Question about the number of cases of AIDS that have been reported in the last eight years in prisons within the United Kingdom.The available information, which covers prisons in England and Wales, is as follows:
AIDS HIV (including AIDS) 1986 1 48 1987 3 75 1988 3 61 1989 5 54 1990 7 59 1991 1 26 1992 5 28 1993 4 33 TOTALS 29 384 The above figures represent only those prisoners confirmed to be HIV positive or as having AIDS. There is no routine testing of prisoners within prison. Prisoners may however request a confidential HIV test for which they will receive pre and post test counselling.Responsibility for prisons in the rest of the United Kingdom lies with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.