§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons which currently allow visits to convicted prisoners more frequently than once every 28 days and identify which of them allow visits once a fortnight.
§ Mr. MellorMy noble Friend will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been (a) the cost of fares, (b) the administrative cost and (c) the total cost each year since 1971 of the assisted visits scheme for close relatives visiting prisoners.
§ Mr. MellorThe readily available information, which relates to total expenditure on assisted visits to inmates in the years from 1976–77 onwards is as follows:
£ 1976–77 266,901 1977–78 353,625 1978–79 305,127 1979–80 314,315 1980–81 402,395 1981–82 *318,234 1982–83 *617,025 1983–84 637,795 1984–85 702,808 * As a result of a delay in billing in 1981–82, repayment of about £130,000 relating to expenditure incurred by the Department of Health and Social Security in that financial year was carried over to 1982–83. These figures do not include administrative costs, which cannot be separately identified.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to extend the assisted visits scheme;
(2) if he has any plans to extend the assisted visits scheme to cover (a) all visits by close relatives presently eligible to receive assistance for which a visiting order is issued, (b) visits to prisoners serving sentences of less than three months, (c) reception visits and (d) visits by close relatives in full-time work with an income not above supplementary benefit level; and if he has estimates of (i) the costs of fares, (ii) the administrative costs and (iii) the total costs of such extensions.
§ Mr. MellorWe have at present no plans to extend the assisted visits scheme. Area probation services already have discretion to provide financial assistance with visits to prison department establishments by close relatives in full-time work with an income not above supplementary benefit level. I have no estimates of the financial information requested.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase the funds available for assisted visits.
§ Mr. MellorIn 1985–86, estimate provision, in class IX, vote 8, of £750,000 was made for assisted vsits to inmates. The corresponding figure for 1986–87, in class XI, vote 2, is £864,400.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the terms of reference of the inquiry recently being conducted concerning the assisted visits scheme; and if he will publish its findings.
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§ Mr. MellorMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has initiated an efficiency scrutiny of agency benefit arrangements for low income families, including financial assistance for visits to prison department establishments. I understand that its terms of reference are
To examine the current arrangements for claiming and determining entitlement, on the ground of low income, to exemption from, repayment of, or help with charges for NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, spectacles and optical treatment, wigs and appliances, and fares to and from hospitals and prisons, and, pending final Ministerial decision on the future of the scheme, free welfare milk and vitamins; and to recommend changes which, in the light of the revised structure of the main income-related benefits, will lead to more efficient and effective low-income arrangements.The question of publication is for my right hon. Friend.