§ Lord Spensasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that the provision to a prison inmate of a pencil, writing paper and access to Archbold constitutes adequate legal facilities as defined by Home Office Standing Order 16 of April 1991 dealing with litigants in person; and, if not, what facilities they would consider adequate. [HL1059]
§ Lord Williams of MostynUnder Prison Service Standing Order 16–7, a prisoner who refuses to seek or is unable to obtain professional advice and wishes instead to initiate and/or conduct legal proceedings in person should be given the necessary facilities to do so. The range and extent of such facilities will vary according to the circumstances of each case and the governor has discretion as to what may be allowed. If the noble Lord has information about a particular case, I shall be glad to investigate it for him.