HC Deb 18 January 1994 vol 235 cc476-7W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department in seeking to give specialist training to prison officers whose work involves them with foreign nationals serving prison sentences in prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

There is no formal specialist training provided centrally for those working with foreign nationals, but all new officers receive race relations training which includes awareness of minority cultural, linguistic, spiritual and dietary needs.

Responsibility for meeting the needs of foreign nationals is often co-ordinated by the race relations management team and liaison officers in establishments. Information on "best practice" in relation to foreign prisoners has been disseminated through the Race Relations Liaison Officers' Newsletter and their 1993 national conference.

Training has been provided in this area for all staff at HM Prison Haslar (a specialised detention facility for deportees) by Prison Service College consultants.

There has also been a number of other initiatives to assist those working with foreign prisoners including translating the prisoners' information pack into 14 lanugauges; support for the Nuffield interpreters project to encourage accredited interpreters; introducing Language Line, a telephone interpreting service, into all prisons; and publication of the foreign prisoners' resource pack to provide information and guidance for staff working with foreign nationals, and the prisoners themselves.