§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Prison Officers Association on the increase of drugs smuggled into Her Majesty's prisons; and if he wll make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorWe attach much importance, as does the Prison Officers Association to keeping unauthorised drugs out of prison department establishments and we are determined that relevant counter-measures should be taken. Following the production of a report by the POA about the misuse of drugs, the director general of the Prison Service met representatives of the association in October 1984 and broad agreement was reached about a programme of action. The director general reported the outcome of the meeting to my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary who wrote to the general486W secretary in November 1984 setting out the steps which were being, or were to be, taken. There has been no meeting with the association since then specifically on this subject, although it has featured on the agenda of a number of other meetings with officials, including those of the prison department Whitley council. In July 1985, the prison department extended an invitation to the POA to have a further meeting about drugs. This was not taken up by the association but it remains open to the association to ask for a meeting.