§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at Her Majesty's 1247W prison, Belmarsh have been denied recreation facilities and association rights; and how many prisoners are protesting at their conditions. [17665]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 3 April 1995]: Responsibility 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. Max Madden, dated 5 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many prisoners at Belmarsh prison have been denied recreation facilities and association rights; and how many prisoners are protesting at the conditions.No prisoners have been denied recreation facilities or association rights, other than those subject to disciplinary sanctions on Rule 43 and two prisoners who escaped from Whitemoor.Prisoners who have escaped or attempted to escape are required to wear prison clothing that has yellow patches on the jacket and yellow stripes on the trousers, to make them more readily identifiable. Two of the Whitemoor escapees are refusing to wear this clothing when out of their cells, at which time they will only wear a blanket. While they insist on taking this action they cannot be given access to normal recreation facilities or association.