§ Mr SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide additional financial assistance to the Prisoners' Wives and Families Society; and if he will make a statement. [18948]
§ 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Clive Soley, dated 6 March 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about plans to provide additional financial assistance to the Prisoners' Wives and Families Society.Although in recent years the Prison Service has made a small number of ex-gratia payments to selected organisations known to be in crisis over funding, there are currently no funds available for financial assistance to organisations supporting prisoner and family ties.