§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action has been taken to follow up the reports in the media at the time that prison officers at HMP Gloucester incited prisoners to acts of indiscipline during the industrial action there last April.
§ Lord GlenarthurFurther investigation indicates that there is substance in these reports. However it has not been possible to identify individual named prison officers alleged to have acted in this way. The result of this investigation was reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has advised that in the absence of evidence identifying the officers concerned it will not be possible to consider criminal proceedings. For the same reason disciplinary action cannot be pursued. But in view of the disturbing nature of the events that has been revealed my right honourable friend has referred the matter to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons to be taken into account in the course of his inquiry into the prison disturbances in the spring.