HC Deb 21 July 1988 vol 137 cc793-4W
Mr. McTaggart

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information on HIV infection and AIDS is made available to prisoners and young offenders in Scottish institutions; and what services for help and advice are available to them.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

A range of information on HIV infections and AIDS is generally available in the form of leaflets, posters, videos and talks by specialists. More specific help and advice is available for those who request or need it, from prison medical officers, from nursing staff who are increasingly being trained in appropriate counselling methods, from social workers and from a number of outside agencies which are involved in providing such services within penal establishments.

Mr. McTaggart

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for how long it is normal practice in Scottish prisons to confine prisoners to their cells every day; for what offences confinement for 23 hours is carried out as a punishment; and if any prisoners in Scottish prisons are currently undergoing such punishment.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

It is not normal practice in Scottish prisons to confine prisoners to their cells every day. Rule 55(3) of the Prison (Scotland) Rules 1952 provides that as far as practicable, arrangements shall be made for prisoners to work for at least eight hours outside their cells in association with other prisoners. Rule 100(1) further provides that all prisoners not employed on outside work shall take exercise daily for one hour, in the open air except in inclement weather. The above periods are additional to whatever periods of association—for example, at recreation, mealtimes, visits etc—a prisoner may be allowed as a privilege.

Cellular confinement for a period not exceeding three days is one of the range of punishments laid down in rule 43 of the same rules which may be awarded by a governor

sentenced prisoners held, during each of the last six months at each of the following prisons: (a) Peterhead, (b) Shotts, (c) Glenochil, (d) Perth and (e) Edinburgh.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The information is set out in the tables for the latest six-month periods for which figures are available.

to a prisoner found guilty of any of the offences laid down in rule 42. No prisoners in Scottish prisons are currently undergoing such punishment, although at any one time a very small number of Scottish prisoners may effectively be confined to cell as a result of having been awarded a combination of punishments including exclusion from associated work and forfeiture of the privileges of association at other times of the day.