§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of shopping visits made by prison officers on behalf of prison inmates during the week of 19 March. [17231]
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 5 April 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about shopping trips by prison officers for prison inmates.The situation has not changed since my recent reply to your Question of 23 January (col. 48). The practice of prison officers undertaking private shopping trips at the behest of prisoners was stopped last year. I have no evidence of any such shopping trips taking place in the week beginning 19 March.