§ Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Further to the Written Answer given by Baroness Blatch on 13th January 1997 (Hansard WA 16), whether or not there are any respects in which it has not proved possible for the Government to adhere to the minimum conditions in prisons described in the European prison rules and the United Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)The Government are committed to adhering to both the European prison rules and the United Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners, neither of which is legally binding, as fully as possible. All of the European prison rules are implemented either fully or partially. Where they are implemented partially, this is in accordance with the recommendations contained within the explanatory memorandum to the rules.
Six United Nations rules are not fully implemented, either because of budgetary or technical restrictions or because the practice recommended in the rules is considered outmoded. Examples include our practice of not always holding all prisoners in single cell accommodation (Rule 9(1)) and mixing young and adult female prisoners (Rule 8(d) covers the separation of young offenders and adult prisoners).
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer given by Baroness Blatch on 13th January 1997 (Hansard WA 16), whether there are any differences between the European prison rules and the Prison Service's operating standards; if so, what are those differences.
§ Baroness BlatchThe European prison rules are not legally binding but are adhered to as much as possible. The operating standards set out standards to be met or aspired to, and drew on an extensive range of sources. They are more detailed than the generalised rules and reflect all aspects of them, except prison personnel matters.