§ 27. Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial and travel arrangements exist to enable women prisoners periodically to see their children.
§ Mr. CarlisleWhere the family is in receipt of supplementary benefits, the Department of Health and Social Security may pay for children to be taken to see their mother in prison, and will help in a limited number of other cases. Local authorities or voluntary organisa-366W tions meet the cost of visits by children in their care. If it is undesirable for the children to visit the prison, the mother can in appropriate cases be taken to see her children elsewhere.
§ 28. Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women at present serving prison sentences in Holloway have children; what proportion this represents of the total number of prisoners; what is the total number of their children; how many are aged under five years and how many five to 15 years; how many of the mothers are serving sentences under one year and how many over three years; how often are they permitted to see their children; and how many mothers have seen their children in the last week.
§ Mr. CarlisleOn 8th March, 123, just over 60 per cent. of the sentenced women in Holloway had children under 16. The total number of children was 262, 103 were under five, and 159 were aged five to 15. Fifty-five of the mothers were serving sentences of under one year, eight were serving sentences of over three years. Nine had children with them. Facilities for the remainder to see their children vary. Fourteen saw their children during the seven days ended 8th March.