§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an investigation into the suicide of inmates in prison.
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§ Mr. MellorWe 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 hon. and learned Friend has decided that it would be helpful to ask Her Majesty's chief inspector of prions, Judge Stephen Tumim, 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 Tumim'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 risks posed by mentally disturbed prisoners; and to make recommendations.Judge Tumim will begin the review as soon as his inspection programme permits and he expects to be able to report to my right hon. and learned Friend in the autumn.