§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales, how the duty governor is reached should an emergency arise; and on how many occasions during the last 12 months the procedure did not operate successfully;
327W(2) whether the duty governor of Her Majesty's prison Brixton is within reach at all times by very high frequency radio.
§ Mrs. RumboldIn line with the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 5 August about the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the serious escape from Brixton prison on 7 July, instructions have been issued to all establishments that the duty governor must carry a radio when in the establishment and a mobile telephone when outside so that he or she can be contacted at any time in an emergency. These arrangements are in force at Brixton. Radio equipment is also available in every other establishment and mobile telephones are being supplied as a matter of urgency to a minority of establishments which do not already have them. Statistical information is not available in the form requested.