HC Deb 10 March 1977 vol 927 cc613-4W
Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether prisoners about to receive electro-convulsive therapy in prison hospitals are told of their right to refuse treatment; and on how many occasions in the last three years such treatment has been refused;

(2) whether he will list in the Official Report the number of electro-convulsive therapy treatments carried out in each of the last three years at each of the 15 prison hospitals which contain electro-convulsive therapy machines; and whether written consent to treatment was obtained in each case.

Mr. John

A prisoner must give his written consent before receiving electro-convulsive therapy. Information about electro-convulsive therapy treatment given to prisoners is available only for 1976, as follows:

Mr. John

None. Prison Service nursing staff are not employed in administering electro-convulsive therapy.