§ Mr. Goerge HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incident on 20 September which led to the temporary closure of Doncaster prison and the searching of all prisoners. [390]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A.J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth dated 22 November 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the incident on 20 September which led to the temporary closure of Doncaster prison and the searching of all prisoners.Information was received from an external source of a possible escape attempt from the prison and that weapons might be used. A full close down search took place on 20 September with the additional support of the South Yorkshire police.No escape equipment nor any weapons were discovered as a result of the search.