§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the frequency of strip searches of women prisoners in Brixton prison, London.
§ Mr. MellorStrip searching is a routine security measure to which all prisoners—male and female (and including those on remand)—are subject. Such searching is essential to detect small items of contraband—such as weapons and drugs—which can easily be concealed about the person and which cannot be detected by other means of searching. Because of the nature and circumstances of the offences with which they have been charged, the three women prisoners on remand in Brixton prison have been provisionally placed in the highest security category, category A, which is reserved for those prisoners whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public, or to the police, or to the security of the state. In accordance with standard practice, they are strip searched before and after court appearances, after visits, at the time of cell changes, and during wing and cell searches. They 155W are being treated no differently from male category A prisoners. My right hon. Friend has taken a personal interest in the cases of the three women. He is satisfied that they have not been subject to an unreasonable number of strip searches; and that they are being treated fairly and reasonably and in accordance with the prison rules.