§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners are at present held on remand at Risley detention centre; to how many strip searches they have been subjected in July, August and September, respectively, giving the number of persons involved, number of times each person was searched and if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while a search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings(a) making a remand appearance at court, (b) attending a trial, (c) inter-prison visit and (d) other reasons.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggOn 17 October there were eight inmates on remand at Risley remand centre who had been placed in category A. Comprehensive records of strip searches are kept only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there was one in Risley during July, August and September. Information from Risley indicates that this prisoner was strip-searched once in July at the time of a cell change and twice in September, at the time of a cell change and on transfer to another establishment. No unauthorised articles were discovered on any of these occasions. On no occasion did the prisoner refuse to be strip-searched.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A women prisoners there were in Her Majesty's prison, Durham, in July, August and September, respectively, and how many strip searches were made on prisoners in those months, indicating strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, after visits and after cell changes, wing searches and cell searches, and listing the reasons for searches; and illegal contraband or smuggled items found.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggDuring July, August and September, there were three category A women prisoners in Durham prison. The number of occasions on which each was strip-searched during each month is shown in the table: 877W
Inmate A Inmate B Inmate C July August September July August September July August September After legal visits — — — — — — — — — After other visits — 3 2 — — 4 — 1 1 At the time of cell changes, and wing and cell searches — 2 — 1 2 1 — 2 1 Others — — — — — 2 — — 2 No unauthorised article was found on any of the three women. I set out the reasons for such searches in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 15 January at column 446.