§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what matters he discussed during his recent visit to Wandsworth prison; if he will list the people he met during his visit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend has not visited HM prison Wandsworth recently, but I did so on 4 July. In the course of the visit I had meetings with the governor, senior management, representatives of the board of visitors, the Whitley committee and, at their request, a separate meeting with the local branch of the Prison Officers' Association. In addition, in the course of a tour of the establishment I had conversations with 401W individual officers, and also took the opportunity to speak to inmates. The questions of staffing complements, overcrowding, integral sanitation and the position of prisoners separated under rule 43 were among the issues discussed. During my visit I gave particular attention to industries, rule 43, sanitation arrangements and an experimental method of installing integral sanitation.