§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what circumstances video recording occurs of prisoners giving urine samples for random drug tests; [16357]
(2) how many prisoners have (a) been fined, (b) lost remission and (c) been subject to other disciplinary sanction for refusing to co-operate with a random drug test before a video camera. [16358]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 27 February 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the circumstances under which video-recording occurs of prisoners giving urine samples for random drug testing; and disciplinary sanctions resulting from prisoners refusing to co-operate with such a test before a video camera.There are no circumstances under which a prisoner has given a sample of urine for the purposes of drug testing while being video-recorded. Consequently, no prisoners have been disciplined for refusal to co-operate with such conditions.