§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what investigations he intends to conduct on a nationwide basis into the possibility of acquired immune deficiency syndrome symptoms in prisons;
(2) when he expects the investigation into acquired immune deficiency syndrome at Chelmsford and Bullwood Hall prisons, which is being pursued by the communicable disease surveillance centre, to be concluded and its findings to be published.
§ Mr. MellorI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 7 February at708W column 657. There are no suspected cases of AIDS at either establishment. The role of the centre for the surveillance of communicable diseases has been to offer general advice about the disease to the director of the prison medical service and the district medical officer. We are considering what steps need to be taken in the prison system as a whole in the light of this case and will make a further statement in due course.