§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches of prisoners were conducted in Armagh prison in 1983; for what purposes such searches were made; how many proved positive in terms of a weapon being found; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottDuring 1983 a total of 1,218 strip searches were carried out in Her Majesty's prison Armagh in the interests of security and the safe custody of inmates. No weapons were found in the searches, but various unauthorised items were discovered. I am satisfied that it is necessary to have recourse to this form of searching, which I understand is routinely practised in women's prisons in Great Britain.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were placed in isolation units in Armagh prison in 1983; what was the longest time served in such a unit by a prisoner; how many prisoners were placed in an isolation unit more than once and what was the number of times each such prisoner was placed in isolation.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been introduced into the regularity of strip searches in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1984, c. 517]: The practices remain those my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in March 1983. — [Vol. 39, c. 121.]