§ Ms. RichardsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of the people strip-searched when visiting Franklands were from Liverpool, in the last year for which figures are available;
(2) what information he has on the number of rub-downs and intimate body searches, as distinct from strip searches, carried out on visitors to prisons in England and Wales in the last three years;
(3) how many strip searches were carried out on persons visiting prisons in England and Wales for the last three years for which figures are available;
(4) what are the numbers of visitors strip-searched in each prison for the last three years for which figures are available;
(5) what percentages of visitors strip-searched in England and Wales were found to be carrying unlawful substances.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe information requested is not available. Where there is reason to believe that a visitor intends to smuggle drugs or other contraband into a prison, the normal practice is to inform the police and ask them to attend to deal with the matter. The action needing to be taken by them in an individual case is a matter to be determined by the police in the light of the particular circumstances. In addition, prison staff have a power under rule 86(1) of the Prison Rules 1964 to search any person entering or leaving an establishment. A visitor may be given a rub-down search if the circumstances are considered to warrant such action. In an exceptional circumstance where there is reason to believe that an arrestable offence is involved and the police are unable to attend, a strip search may be carried out with the visitor's consent. There should be no question of a prison officer conducting an intimate search.