§ Mrs Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is sponsoring any projects to encourage disabled people to volunteer to work in prisons, borstals and children's homes; what funding is being provided and for how long; what are the aims of the projects and who is to run them; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MayhewAlthough it is our policy to encourage closer links between Prison Department establishments and the community, we are not ourselves sponsoring any such projects. I understand that community service volunteers are planning a programme for disabled people in co-operation with the Spastics Society and they hope some of them may be able to work in prisons or borstals24W alongside other community service volunteers, who already include some disabled people. We have, however, received no approach from them and any placement would be a matter for negotiation between the Department and community service volunteers.