§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has authorised the setting up of an isolation area in the hospital wing at Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green, for prisoners known to be HIV positive.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggBirmingham is one of a number of prison service establishments with medical facilities which the director of prison medical services considers to be suitable for the care, support and (when necessary for their own protection) isolation of prisoners with AIDS-related illness or other infectious conditions.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers at Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green(a) requested and (b) received HIV tests in 1987 and 1988; and with what results.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Department does not disclose information of this nature.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines he has issued to prison governors about the association of prisoners known to be HIV positive with other prisoners;
(2) what guidelines he has issued to prison governors on the confinement of prisoners found to be HIV positive; and whether he will make a statement;
(3) what is his policy on the segregation of prisoners known to be HIV positive.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Department's policy on the management of such prisoners follows the broad principles of the Government's general policy but necessarily takes account of the special nature of prisons and the prison environment. Prisoners who are identified as HIV antibody positive and have no symptoms of illness are located in single accommodation or accommodated with other antibody positive prisoners, but there is no requirement that they should otherwise be precluded from associating with prisoners who are not so identified.
The guidelines to local management stress the importance of enabling HIV antibody positive prisoners to participate as fully as possible in normal prison life. It has also been made clear both to management and to staff that prisoners who have no symptoms of illness need not be located in the prison hospital or other special accommodation. However, the management of individual cases is a matter which must be decided by the governor and medical officer in the light of local circumstances and the nature and needs of the individual prisoner.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protective clothing is available at Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green, for the use of prison officers when restraining prisoners known to be HIV positive.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIn January 1987 arrangements were made for all prison service establishments in England and296W Wales to be supplied with sets of protective clothing comprising a zip-up one piece overall, rubber surgical gloves, a paper face mask and plastic eye goggles.