HC Deb 07 May 1991 vol 190 cc379-80W
Miss Lestor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department is he will take steps to ensure that women in mother and baby units in prisons are allowed to prepare fresh foods for their babies.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by women prison establishment those that(a) do and (b) do not allow mothers who are in prison with their babies to prepare fresh food for their babies other than manufactured baby food.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The provision of food in the three mother and baby units varies with the nature of the accommodation and the age of the children.

At HM prison Askham Grange, where mothers may keep their babies with them to the age of 18 months, fresh food is prepared for all the babies by one of the mothers.

At HM prison Styal, where babies may stay until nine months old, a range of both proprietary baby food and fresh food is available and mothers may choose in consultation with the nursing sister how to feed their babies. The food is prepared by the cook on the unit.

At HM prison Holloway, where the age limit is also nine months, mothers are provided with a range of propriety brands of food for their babies, supplemented by fruit juice and milk. Consideration is being given to extending the range of food available. Mothers may also purchase fresh fruit for their babies from the prison canteen.