§ Ms JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners in each year since 1990 have escaped from escort while attending hospital for antenatal care, childbirth or post-natal care; if he will list the circumstances of their escape; and from which prisons they were attending the hospital. [7539]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 15 January 1996]Responsibility 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 front Richard Tilt to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 29 January 1996
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many women prisoners in each year since 1990 have escaped from escort while attending hospital for antenatal care, childbirth or post-natal care, giving the circumstances of their escape and from which prisons they were attending hospital.In this period there have been seven escapes from hospital for the stated reasons. The information is shown in the attached table.Since 1990 there is one recorded case of a pregnant woman (32 weeks) attempting to escape from a hospital escort (Risley prison). There is another where a pregnant woman attempted to escape from a hospital escort, the pregnancy was not the reason for the hospital visit. On two occasions there were attempted escapes where the reason for the hospital visit is not known.
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Date Establishment Details 1990 17 July 1990 Holloway Escaped leaving new born child while uncuffed 1991 Nil — — 1992 19 February 1992 Holloway Espaced through we window while uncuffed 29 August 1992 Holloway Escaped when a male prisoner impeded staff while uncuffed
Date Establishment Details 1993 6 May 1993 Pucklechurch Escaped when aided by man armed with hurling stick while uncuffed 19 May 1993 Styal Escaped from staff supervision, while uncuffed 5 June 1993 Styal Escaped from staff supervision, while uncuffed 26 August 1993 Styal Escaped when two males impeded escorting staff, while uncuffed 1994 Nil — — 1995 Nil — — 1996 (to 7 January) Nil — —