HC Deb 24 July 1989 vol 157 cc491-4W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are known to be HIV positive; and in which prisons they are held.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

On 30 June 1989, 63 prisoners were known to be HIV antibody positive from tests carried out before or after they came into custody. Of these prisoners, nine were located in establishments in the north region, 10 in the Midland region, five in the south-west region and 39 in the south-east region. For reasons of medical confidentiality, it is not our practice to disclose the number of current cases in individual establishments.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many tests for HIV antibodies were carried out in prisons in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and how many were positive;

(2) what steps are taken to encourage prisoners to volunteer for HIV antibody testing;

(3) what steps are taken to safeguard the confidentiality of the results of HIV positive antibody tests in prisons.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

HIV antibody tests are freely available to prisoners, as they are to people in the outside community. Whether a test is advised in an individual case is a matter for the clinical discretion of the prison medical officer. In the 12 months ended 30 June 1989, 30 positive results were reported from tests carried out after the prisoners concerned came into custody. Negative results are not reported. Medical officers and their health care staff apply the normal rules of medical confidentiality to the test results and related diagnoses.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the AIDS videos for(a) prison staff and (b) prisoners have been shown in each prison establishment in England and Wales since they have been available.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Information in the form requested is not available. The staff training video is shown to all new entrant prison officers, and governors have been set a target for the training year ending March 1990 of showing it to all operational staff who have not attended a showing previously. The minimum target for the same year for showing the educational video for prisoners to those who wish to see it is to arrange at least one showing to every prisoner who has been or is expected to be in custody for four weeks or longer.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if it is his policy to restrict the location and activities of HIV positive prisoners; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what is the purpose of current viral infectivity restrictions in Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Our policy is to enable identified HIV antibody positive prisoners who are well to play as full a part in prison life as possible. However, having regard to the responsibilities of the prison service towards other prisoners and to staff, it has been thought right in the circumstances obtaining in England and Wales to enable medical officers to take precautions which may limit access to some regime activity. The main recommended restriction is location in single accommodation or communal accommodation shared with other identified HIV antibody positive prisoners. The medical officer may also restrict participation in activities which run the risk of physical injury such as work with machinery or sharp objects, and physical contact sports.

The system of viral infectivity restrictions (VIR), which is also applied to prisoners with other infective conditions, has a secondary purpose of enabling local management to disclose a prisoner's VIR status, but not the actual diagnosis, to operational staff who are considered to have a "need to know". Experience in England and Wales is that this practice has been valuable in giving psychological reassurance to staff.

Further guidance on the application of VIR is planned to encourage local management to place more VIP. prisoners in non-specialised locations and to widen opportunities for participation in normal regime activity.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements are made for clinical and psychological monitoring and care of HIV positive prisoners in England and Wales;

(2) what arrangements are made for the continuing care of HIV positive prisoners after their release from prison;

(3) what counselling is available for HIV positive and AIDS prisoners.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The health care management of HIV antibody positive prisoners, including arrangements to ensure as far as possible that appropriate health care continues after release, is a responsibility of prison medical officers which they exercise in consultation with appropriate NHS specialists taking account of broad policy guidelines from the director of prison medical services. For the provision of counselling services they have access both to prison service staff who have been trained in HIV counselling and to outside agencies which provide such services.

The director of prison medical service plans to issue further guidance on the clinical care of HIV infected prisoners. The importance of psychological monitoring will be stressed.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy for the provision of care and support units for prisoners with AIDS-related illness.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The need is recognised for medical facilities in each prison service region which will be capable of giving short or longer-term care and support to prisoners with AIDS, AIDS-related illness or other infectious illness, whose condition does not require admission to the specialised facilities of the National Health Service. A purpose-designed unit is planned for Brixton prison. Hospital accommodation with suitable facilities at other establishments will also be used to fulfil the care and support function.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current programme for training of prison staff at all levels in relation to their responsibilities

Isis House
(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi)
Illegal entrants Deportation orders served Seaman deserters Overstayers and workers in breach Notices of intention to deport served on those in (iv and v)
1988
January 97 19 — 48 27
February 83 12 1 50 33
March 82 19 — 61 33
April 82 8 1 42 25
May 103 22 3 53 42
June 82 17 — 52 33
July 56 5 1 49 33
August 68 13 — 55 49
September 57 21 — 65 59
October 70 16 — 79 69
November 93 16 2 134 128
December 72 12 — 119 106

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi)
Illegal entrants Deportation orders served Seaman deserters Overstayers Workers in breach Notices of intention to deport served on those in (iv) and (v)
(iv) (v)
1989
January 48 19 2 61 39 61 36
February 96 12 1 68 71 66 68
March 78 17 — 81 28 76 27
April 99 20 2 70 30 69 28
May 67 19 — 59 27 58 22
June 63 17 — 46 20 46 15

for the care of prisoners who have been diagnosed HIV positive, including those who may have developed AIDS-related illness.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Locally organised training programmes directed at operational staff provide basic health and safety information and ana understanding of the nature of AIDS and HIV infection at a level appropriate to their task of managing infected prisoners with no signs or symptoms of illness. Most training of health care staff is also arranged locally but will often include attendance at external courses and detachments to local NHS hospitals. External AIDS counselling courses have been attended by prison service staff from a variety of disciplines.

The director of prison medical services plans to develop further training programmes for medical officers and other health care staff tailored to their specific needs.