§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons remand prisoners are not entitled to receive(a) the Irish Times, (b) the Irish News, (c) the Irish Press and (d) the Belfast Newsletter. [10637]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter 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 Hugh Taylor to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 13 January 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the supply of Irish papers to prisoners.Prisons provide, at public expense, one newspaper for every ten prisoners, taking into account the preference of prisoners and the need to provide as full a range of newspapers as possible. Additionally, prisoners can receive newspapers directly from publishers, newsagents or booksellers, either at the order of relatives or friends or by payment from prisoners' private cash or prison pay. For unconvicted prisoners the supply of newspapers at their own expense is specifically provided for in the Prison Rules and there are no particular restrictions on the four titles you mention.