§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if there are any plans to review the use of strip searches on women prisoners in the Province; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottStrip searches are a normal feature of prison security arrangements used in prisons throughout the United Kingdom. The procedures used in Northern Ireland are similar to those used for many years in comparable prisons in Great Britain. The need for and frequency of searches are kept under close review and I am satisfied that the level of searching women prisoners in Northern Ireland is the minimum consistent with security requirements.