HC Deb 25 January 1990 vol 165 cc873-4W
49. Mr. Strang

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the action the Government are taking to reduce the spread of HIV among the prison population.

Mr. Mellor

High priority is given to measures to prevent the transmission of HIV infection in prison. The main plank of the prevention strategy is education. Our latest initiative is a new package of education materials, including a video film, entitled "AIDS Inside and Out". Other measures include medical inquiry and examination at the reception stage, counselling of individual prisoners, and limited regime restrictions for prisoners identified as HIV antibody positive.

83. Sir Michael McNair-Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in prison have been diagnosed as HIV positive.

Mr. Mellor

On 17 January 1990 the prison population of England and Wales included 63 prisoners reported as having been identified as HIV antibody positive. By that date 270 such prisoners had been so reported since reporting began in March 1985.