§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in the last year for which figures are available have been segregated under Rule 43 (a) for breaches of discipline, (b) for protection of the prisoner, (c) at the prisoner's request and (d) under Rule 43(2).
§ Mr. JohnIn the year ending 31st August 1976, 586 men were segregated for the maintenance of good order and discipline. Prisoners are not segregated under Rule 43 for specific breaches of discipline. One thousand, one hundred and seventy-eight were segregated for their own protection and at their own request.
Rule 43(2) is concerned with the authority necessary to keep a prisoner under the rule for longer than 24 hours; it applies to both the numbers given.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how frequently prisoners subject to Rule 43 receive visits from (a) the prison medical officer and (b) a psychiatrist.
§ Mr. John(a) A prisoner excluded from association under Rule 43 is visited by the prison medical officer as often as the latter considers it necessary.
(b) The decision whether to refer any prisoner to a psychiatrist is one for the responsible medical officer. Most prison medical officers have psychiatric qualifications.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it takes for internal prison inquiries into alleged assaults on a prisoner to be determined; and what duty there is (a) to 373W advise the prisoner of any civil or criminal remedy he may have, (b) to enable a prisoner to seek independent legal advice on his rights and (c) to retain and make available to the prisoner the evidence and statements obtained in the course of such an inquiry.
§ Mr. JohnThe time taken for an internal prison inquiry into an allegation of assault on a prisoner may be very short indeed, for example, in a serious case in which the decision to ask the police to investigate is made almost at once. On the other hand, in a complicated case detailed inquiries may be required before it can be decided what action is appropriate. In such a situation, the investigation may take several weeks. There is no specific duty to advise a prisoner who claims to have been assaulted about his facilities for seeking legal advice. If, however, such a prisoner requests facilities to consult a solicitor with a view to instituting civil proceedings, he will be told that these will be granted but only after the prison authorities have had an opportunity to investigate the complaint. There is no duty to make available to a prisoner the records of evidence or statements taken in an internal prison inquiry, although such matters may be ventilated in the ordinary way during any court proceedings.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department with what frequency cases of prisoners subject to Rule 43 for their own protection or for the maintenance of internal discipline are received.
§ Mr. JohnAbout 90 to 100 cases a month for their own protection, and 40 to 50 cases per month for the maintenance of good order and discipline.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent recent cut-backs in expenditure have affected the provision of educational facilities for prisoners.
§ Mr. JohnCuts in expenditure have reduced the availability of prison officers in some establishments to escort prisoners to and from education classes and to supervise them there. Some classes have been cancelled, but difficulty is now374W largely confined to six establishments where classes are available on a reduced scale.