§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what services are currently provided, and against which criteria, for the removal on request of tattoos from prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons.
§ Dr. SummerskillFacilities for male prisoners are provided in surgical units at three prisons and in National Health Service hospitals. Female prisoners are treated either in their establishments or in NHS hospitals. Prison medical officers may also undertake to remove tattoos in certain uncomplicated cases which require minimal surgical interference. The tattoo must be operable; a prisoner's request for removal must be considered to be genuine and earnest; and the tattoo must be disfiguring, obscene or embarrassing and, if not removed, likely to affect the prisoner's resettlement on release. When demand for treatment exceeds available resources priority is given to those prisoners who have embarrassing or obscene tattoos on normally-exposed parts of their bodies.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what priority is given in current arrangements for the removal of tattoos from the backs of hands and forearms on request by prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons.
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§ Dr. SummerskillPrison service surgical units are currently accepting only patients who bear obscene or embarrassing tattoos situated in normally-exposed parts of their body. The average waiting time is from six to 18 months. From time to time, medical officers who can fit the work in with their other duties and who are prepared to operate will treat prisoners with easily removed tattoos whether or not they are obscene or on normally-exposed parts of their bodies.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated range of minimum and maximum costs of removing tattoos from prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons.
§ Dr. SummerskillI regret that this information is not readily available.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full-time (b) part-time and (c) contract staff are engaged by prison medical authorities in giving treatment for the removal of tattoos from prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons.
§ Dr. SummerskillFollowing is the information:
- (a) One full-time medical officer performs tattoo-removal operations on a regular, once-weekly sessional basis and several full-time medical officers operate occasionally;
- (b) One part-time medical officer performs tattoo-removal operations on a regular, once-weekly sessional basis and several part-time medical officers operate occasionally;
- (c) Two contract staff provide one session each, per week, most weeks.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons are currently awaiting treatment for the removal of tattoos; and what was the number at the nearest equivalent date in 1973 and 1974.
§ Dr. SummerskillSixty-eight male prisoners are on lists held by prison service surgical units as awaiting tattoo removal. I regret that comparable information for 1973 and 1974 is not available.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons had treatment for the removal of tattoos 436W in the latest 12-month period; and how many were carried out in the comparable 12-month periods of 1973 and 1974.
§ Dr. SummerskillI regret that information in the form requested is not available. The information we have is as follows:
1st January 1975 to 27th June 1975 187 1st January 1974 to 31st December 1974 302 1st January 1973 to 31st December 1973 300
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at Her Majesty's Prison, Wandsworth, have had treatment for the removal of tattoos in the most recent 12-month period and in similar periods in 1973 and 1974.
§ Dr. SummerskillFollowing is the information:
(a) 12 months ended 27th June … 11 (b) Equivalent 12 months 1973–74 … 6 (c) Equivalent 12 months 1972–73 … 2