§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) of 10 May,Official Report, column 73, regarding babies born in prison, what were the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987–88 and two babies in 1988–89; at what prison the mothers were being detained; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prison.
§ 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 Philippa Drew to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 June 1994: 427W
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the circumstances in which one baby was born in prison in the year 1987–88 and two babies in 1988–89; at what prison the mothers were being detained; and if he will make a statement in respect of his Department's instructions about mothers giving birth in prisons.The establishments where the mothers were being detained at the time of birth were:
- 1987–88: HMP Styal
- 1988–89: HMP Holloway
- 1988–89: HM Remand Centre Risley
In each case the babies were born in prison establishments because the progress of labour was too fast to allow the mother to be taken to hospital in time. It is the usual practice for mothers to be delivered at a designated local hospital. On the rare occasions that the birth takes place in a prison establishment, the birth certificate does not show that the birth took place in prison. It instead indicates the area in which the establishment is located.