§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budgets of14W HM Prison Service establishments holding females has been specifically dedicated to suicide prevention in each of the past 10 years. [142891]
§ Paul GogginsThe Prison Service's efforts to reduce the numbers of self-inflicted deaths in prisons are supported by a number of broader strategies for which money is allocated at a national level. It is not, therefore possible to identify the resources that have been allocated to suicide prevention specifically.
A proactive three-year programme to develop policies and practices to reduce prisoner suicide and manage self-harm in prisons commenced in April 2001. The main principles of the strategy apply across all types of prisons and prisoners whether male or female. An investment of over £21 million through the three-year programme is enabling physical improvements (now 75 per cent. complete) to be made at six 'Safer Local' pilot sites, one of which is the women's prison and YOI Eastwood Park. At Eastwood Park where there is a centrally funded Project Manager, £1.5 million has been dedicated to Reception and the Healthcare Centre, while a further £1.5 million is being spent on installing safer cells (cells which contain specially designed furniture and fixtures which are manufactured and installed to make the attachment of ligatures very difficult).
A targeted and separate suicide prevention and self-harm management strategy is being developed specifically for women prisoners. In addition £1 million from the Department of Health has been allocated to the Women's Estate to be spent on the recruitment of psychiatric nurses, and 11 out of the 17 prisons for women now have mental health in-reach facilities.
Brockhill, Eastwood Park, Holloway, New Hall and Styal prisons were among the first establishments to have full-time, dedicated Suicide Prevention Co-ordinators (SPCs). All women's prisons now have a designated full-time or part-time SPC. All women's establishments deliver suicide awareness training to staff.