HL Deb 22 February 1988 vol 493 c1041WA
Lord Inglewood

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who inspects remand cells and makes any annual report to Parliament on size, use and degree of overcrowding.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

The inspection of prison cells for remand prisoners in England and Wales is the responsibility of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons. He has a duty to inspect, or to arrange for the inspection of, prisons and to submit to the Home Secretary each year a report which is laid before Parliament. He is required to report particularly on the treatment of prisoners and conditions in prisons.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland has similar duties in relation to Scottish prisons. The inspectorate for England and Wales also carries out inspections of prisons in Northern Ireland by arrangement between the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.