HC Deb 24 November 1999 vol 339 cc121-2W
Mr. Crausby

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the training of prison officers in order to combat bullying in young offenders centres. [98674]

Mr. Boateng

The initial training course for new prison officers has recently been reviewed, and now includes additional specific training for those who will work with young people. The training covers the Prison Service's anti-bullying policy and the standards expected of prison officers as well as the particular requirements for work with the young.

The service has also developed an anti-bullying training programme for delivery locally in prison establishments which will be available early in the new year.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the rates of(a) suicide and (b) self-harm for each young offenders' institution in each of the last five years. [98478]

Mr. Boateng

The information requested is given in the tables.

Rates of self-inflicted deaths per 1,000 population
Young offender institutions 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Aylesbury 0 5 0 7 0
Castington 0 0 0 0 0
Deerbolt 0 0 0 0 0
Dover 0 3 0 3 0
Feltham 0 0 1 2 0
Glen Parva 0 0 2 1 2
Guys Marsh 0 0 0 0 0
Hatfield 0 0 0 0 0

Rates of self-inflicted deaths per 1,000 population
Young offender institutions 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Huntercombe 0 0 0 0 0
Onley 0 0 0 0 0
Portland 3 0 2 0 0
Reading 0 0 0 0 14
Stoke Heath 0 0 0 0 0
Swinfen Hall 0 0 10 5 0
Thorn Cross 0 0 0 0 0
Wetherby 0 0 0 0 0

Rates of self-harm per 1,000 population
Young offender institutions 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
Aylesbury 140 96 79 106 226
Castington 88 42 44 42 69
Deerbolt 427 418 278 205 200
Dover 62 27 30 33 23
Feltham 129 639 284 327 330
Glen Parva 102 108 93 155 143
Guys Marsh 52 66 73 82 63
Hatfield 16 0 25 7 13
Huntercombe 91 52 25 69 27
Onley 75 222 96 137 125
Portland 98 59 61 30 60
Reading 345 290 333 314 174
Stoke Heath 201 221 159 162 191
Swinfen Hall 33 44 168 64 31
Thorn Cross 11 54 13 4 0
Wetherby 286 358 441 103 131

Notes:

1. Establishments have been listed according to their primary role, thus a number of other prisons that hold young offenders (e.g. male remand centres) are not shown.

2. Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

3. Incidents do not equate to numbers of prisoners as an individual prisoner may self-harm more than once.

4. Self-harm data are derived from information provided by establishments to the Prison Service's Directorate of Health Care.

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