§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the cost of the visits by the social services inspectorate to the mother and baby units in prisons in each year since 1990; and which budget bore the cost of the visits;
(2) what plans she has to transfer the inspection of mother and baby units in prisons from the social services inspectorate to the chief inspector of prisons; and if she will make a statement;
(3) how many times the social services inspectorate visited the mother and baby units in prisons during 1990, 1991 and 1992, respectively; how many members of the inspectorate made each inspection; and what was the duration of each visit.
§ Mr. YeoAt the request of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, the Department of Health is conducting a programme of three inspections of the mother and baby units in prison at two-year intervals between 1990 and 1994. The first two inspections took place in 1990 and 1992 and a third is planned for 1994. The position will be reviewed after the 1994 inspection.
The Department set up a multi-disciplinary team led by a social services inspector to conduct the inspections. There were five members of the team; two social services inspectors, one nurse, one paediatrician and a psychiatrist. In 1990 the team allotted three days to inspect each unit and in 1992 four days.
The Department of Health met the costs of these inspections. The costs cannot be identified separately.