HC Deb 26 February 1988 vol 128 cc380-1W
Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct prison administrators to send out visiting orders to relatives of prisoners at least two weeks prior to any visit.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Establishments in England and Wales have been encouraged to issue visiting orders up to a fortnight before the 28-day period of validity begins, if this is administratively feasible and if they are aware that otherwise a planned assisted visit would have to be postponed.

Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct prison administrators to send copies of endorsed visiting orders to the new unit dealing with assisted prison visits to promote better coordination of services.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We intend to study this idea in the light of experience of the operation of the new unit.

Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify the meaning of the term "substantial period", in prison department forms F2022AS and F2022S, with respect to assisted prison visits.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I understand that it has been the normal practice of DHSS local offices, in administering the assisted prison visits scheme, to regard four months' cohabitation as a sufficiently substantial period to entitle an applicant to assistance, provided that the other conditions of the scheme are met. We see no reason to alter this guideline, which will continue to be applied flexibly.

Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the subsistence expenses and childminding costs of persons visiting prisoners referred to in paragraph 10 of form F2022AS, are discretionary where proof of claim is provided.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Yes. Payment of subsistence or childminding expenses may be withheld if the assisted prison visits unit is not satisfied that they were necessarily incurred in the course of visiting an inmate; or they may be met only in part if the amounts specified are excessive.

Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will be assuming the responsibility for the statutory obligation previously discharged by the Department of Health and Social

Prosecutions for Television Licence Evasion in the United Kingdom
1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87
England and Wales 80,029 89,747 102,154 115,559 165,385
Scotland 5,063 7,058 7,542 7,121 9,004
Northern Ireland 341 575 645 782 838
United Kingdom 85,433 97,380 110,341 123,462 175,227