§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) at what time Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, went into labour;
(2) under what conditions Lynne Marsland, a prisoner at Her Majesty's prison Holloway, was kept after the onset of labour; and who else was present in her cell, and for how long;
(3) who decided that Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, had commenced labour; and what was their qualification to do so;
(4) how long after the commencement of labour Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, was transferred to Whittington hospital;
(5) if the full complement of staff was on duty at Her Majesty's prison Holloway over the weekend of 28–29 June;
(6) what are the prison rules, procedures and practices relating to the treatment of a prisoner going into labour;
(7) how many times, and when, Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, was seen by (a) a doctor and (b) a midwife from 23 June until the onset of labour was diagnosed;
(8) what was the cause of death of the infant born to Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, on 29 June;
(9) if he will set up an inquiry into the circumstances leading up to the death of the infant born to Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, on 29 June;
(10) if he will make a statement about the death of the infant born to Lynne Marsland, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison Holloway, on 28 June.
§ Mr. MellorMs. Marsland has been located since 22 April in the mother and baby unit at Holloway prison, on which a state registered midwife is always present. She was examined by a member of the prison's medical staff, a qualified obstretician and gynaecologist, on 26 June, and by the consultant gynaecologist who supervises ante-natal cases at Holloway on 25 June. Over the weekend 28–29 June there was a full complement of nursing staff on the unit. Labour is not considered to have commenced until about 5 pm on Sunday 29 June, when Ms. Marsland was examined by a state registered midwife in a single room in the unit where she had been placed for close observation.62W It is the normal practice to transfer mothers before delivery to an outside hospital, in accordance with prison standing orders 13 107, which set out the rules, procedures and practices relating to the treatment of prisoners going into labour and provide that, at the appropriate time, the medical officer will arrange removal to a hospital. At 5.20 pm an ambulance was called to transfer Ms. Marsland to an outside hospital: she left Holloway in the company of a nurse and two officers at 5.40 pm. Later that evening she gave birth to a baby who died shortly after delivery.
I am informed that arrangements have been made for a post mortem examination to take place on 7 July. We have no present plans to institute an inquiry.