§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State far the Home Department if women in Holloway prison have good toilet facilities, ample sanitary protection when needed and easy access to a female doctor.
§ Mr. HurdOn the first two points, yes. Access to female doctors generally depends on who is available on the medical team.
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if women in Holloway prison who are strip searched are only visually examined or whether they are physically touched in any way such as internally; and for what reason.
§ Mr. HurdDuring a strip search it may be necessary to touch a prisoner in order to detect a small item or to remove clothing or something concealed about the person. An internal search of an intimate body orifice would not be carried out without special authorisation, which would be granted only in the most exceptional circumstances.
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether women in Holloway prison are permitted to share cells.
§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the level of tranquillisers and pain killers issued to the women in Holloway prison; and how often they are issued.
§ Mr. HurdThe total number of doses of all psychotropic drugs including antidepressants, sedatives and tranquillisers, dispensed to inmates of Holloway prison in 1982 was 66,691. Separate figures are not available for analgesics. The frequency with which any medication is prescribed varies from case to case and is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned.