§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will institute an investigation into the suicide of inmates in prison.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)We continue to be deeply concerned about the increased incidence of suicide in prison.
A number of initiatives have been taken in recent years to improve the Prison Service's suicide prevention strategy, including improved screening arrangements, better training and guidance for staff, establishing suicide prevention management groups and encouraging the involvement of the Samaritans. We also intend to examine whether closed circuit television may be a useful aid in some circumstances.
In the longer term we shall have the benefit of research which has been commissioned from the University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology which will focus primarily on incidents of attempted suicide and self-injury in prison and their relationship with completed suicide.
All of this work is valuable and will continue. But, in a shorter time-scale, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has decided that it would be helpful to ask Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Judge Stephen Tumin, to undertake a review, under Section 5A of the Prison Act 1952 as amended, of our present policies and procedures in the light of information gained from his regular inspections of prison establishments. He will also look at the particular problems presented in this context by mentally disturbed inmates.
Judge Tumin's terms of reference will be:
To review the effectiveness of the current policy and procedures for the prevention of suicide and self-harm in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, with particular reference to the risk posed by mentally disturbed prisoners; and to make recommendations.Judge Tumin will begin the review as soon as his inspection programme permits and he expects to be able to report to my right honourable friend in the autumn.