§ Mr. Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rights prisoners have to confidentiality in interviews conducted with journalists. [106446]
§ Mr. BoatengInterviews with journalists are conducted in the same way as other visits, and thus are governed by policy set out in Prison Service Standing Order 5A, a copy of which is in the Library. Under this Order, for reasons of security and control, prisoners do not have the right to confidentiality, except in the case of visits from their legal advisers.
Visits are conducted within the sight of a prison officer, and are liable to be within the officer's hearing, particularly where security considerations require close supervision of the visit.
The provisions for legal visits are different, in order to ensure that a prisoner's access to the legal system is not in any way compromised. Such visits take place within the sight, but not within the hearing, of prison officers.