§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the policy of his Department that information on relevant embassies and support organisations and on specialist provision available within the prison for help for foreign nationals is given to foreign nationals serving sentences in prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement and list the prisons where such information is now available.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 20 January 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Prison Service policy on giving information to foreign national prisoners on relevant embassies and support organisations, and on specialist provision available within the prison.The Prison Service recognises the particular needs of foreign national prisoners and encourages dissemination of appropriate information to them, including sources of internal and external support.A considerable quantity of the information outlined in your question is contained in the Foreign Prisoners' Resource Pack which has been distributed to all Prison Service establishments to assist both prisoners and those who work with them. Other information may also be provided by individual establishments or other agencies, but details are not kept centrally.