HC Deb 27 February 1986 vol 92 c657W
Mr. Kirkwood

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to abolish Crown immunity in prison hospitals.

Mr. Mellor

No.

Mr. Ashley

asked 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. Mellor

Crown 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.