§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for ensuring that any tendency to deliberate self-harm in an inmate is known to the authorities of a prison to which such an inmate is sent from court or transferred from another prison establishment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWhere a prisoner is being handed over from police custody into prison custody, or vice-versa, information about possible suicide risk is conveyed via the exceptional risk form, instructions on which have been issued to both police forces and prison establishments.
In London special arrangements exist under which prisoners' inmate medical records accompany them in a sealed pouch when they are escorted to court, so that they are immediately accessible should the prisoner for any reason be returned from court to a different prison establishment.
All prisoners are seen by a member of health care staff on arrival at the establishment as part of the reception process. Prisoners must also be examined by a doctor within 24 hours in cases of first reception and reception following conviction, sentence or transfer. This examination includes an assessment of possible risk of suicide or self-harm.
Where prisoners are transferred between prison establishments, any warnings about possible risk of suicide or self-harm will be contained in the inmate medical record (IMR), which accompanies the prisoner when transferred under escort.
In many cases the prison service also receives information about possible risk of suicide or self-harm from a variety of agencies and individuals who are involved with prisoners in the pre-trial period and at court, including probation officers, solicitors, court staff, social workers, psychiatrists and the prisoner's family. Such information is generally conveyed to the receiving prison by telephone or via the escorting officers.
It is the continuing responsibility of the suicide prevention management group at each prison establishment to ensure that liaison with other agencies works effectively and that any information received is carefully assessed and acted on appropriately.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of deaths from an act of deliberate self-harm that took place in prisons in England and Wales during 1992.
§ Mr. Peter LloydForty-one prisoners died from an act of deliberate self-harm in England and Wales in 1992.