§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to assess the risks of contracting HIV in prisons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe risk in prison, as elsewhere, is determined by personal behaviour. This is stressed in the educational material available to prisoners. No research to assess the rate of HIV infection, or spread of infection, in the prison population is currently being undertaken by the Department; but prisoners will, where appropriate, be included in future approved research programmes based on anonymous blood testing. A central record is kept for statistical and monitoring purposes of prisoners identified as HIV antibody positive in the course of the careful screening undertaken by Medical Officers.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has considered the World Health Organisation's recommendation that consideration should be given to allow prisoners access to condoms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have, as the World Health Organisation recommended, considered whether condoms should be made available to prisoners, but have concluded that we would not be justified in changing our policy that prisoners should not be allowed access to condoms.