§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what financial assistance is available for visits to prisoners by their immediate relatives, in respect of (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, subsistence and (iv) other costs; and if he will give the rates for that assistance where the prison is situated in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) Scotland; [1773]
(2) what financial assistance is available for visits to prisoners by their immediate relatives in respect of (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, (iii) subsistence and other costs; and if he will give the rates for that assistance where the prison is situated in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) England or Wales. [1778]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 6 November 1996]: Responsibility for these matters 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 7 November 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me in the absence of the Director General from the office to reply to your recent Questions about financial assistance for visits to prisoners by their immediate relatives.For relatives who qualify under the assisted prison visit scheme and who reside in England, Scotland or Wales and visit prisons in those countries, or Northern Ireland, the full cost of travel by public transport or community bus (if no more expensive than public transport) is reimbursed. For claimants who travel by car, the journey is paid at 10 pence per mile.Where an overnight stay is deemed necessary a contribution is made towards the cost. For prisons in the London area the rate per night is £21 for adults and £11.30 for children between the ages of three and fourteen. For all areas outside London the rates are £15 and £7.50 respectively. All applicants and their children aged over three years receive a contribution of £2.55 towards the cost of food when the total time away from home is between five and ten hours. The rate for over ten hours away from home is £5.10.Other unavoidable expenses such as taxi fares to remote prisons where there is no public transport, toll fees and childminding fees are met.The Northern Ireland Office is responsible for administering payment to residents of Northern Ireland who visit any prison in the United Kingdom.