§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to abolish Crown immunity in prison hospitals.
§ Mr. MellorNo.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the categories, and the numbers within them, of institutions, for which he is responsible, for which exemptions are claimed from (a) food hygiene legislation and (b) health and safety legislation on the grounds of Crown immunity; and if he will make it his policy to plan to remove the immunity for the relevant institutions.
§ Mr. MellorCrown immunity from prosecution under food hygiene legislation and health and safety legislation applies to the following institutions for which we are responsible:
Number Central departmental offices 11 Regional offices 147 Storage buildings 39 Prisons 121 Training and recruitment establishments 15 Research institutions and laboratories 12 Our policy on Crown immunity is to consider each category of institution on its own merits. If we have evidence of inadequate standards in particular circumstances, we shall consider how best to deal with them.