§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many relatives and friends of prisoners and those prisoners on remand were apprehended while attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into prisons in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement; [4831]
(2) if a person convicted of attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into a prison is allowed to visit prisoners; and if he will make a statement; [4834]
617W(3) what was the number of (a) prison officers and members of prison staff and (b) other officially approved visitors to prisons who were apprehended while attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into prison in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [4833]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe subject of the questions relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godwin, dated 12 December 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your three Questions on drugs in prison, which made particular reference to attempted smuggling by visitors to prisons and prisoners, and by prison staff.All prisons face the risk of prisoners' visitors seeking to bring illegal drugs into establishments and take a variety of measures to prevent it. Appropriate action is taken where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, and any visitor who is caught is referred to the police. Records are not, however, maintained centrally of the numbers of arrests or convictions. There are no recorded examples of anyone who could be described as an "officially approved" visitor who has been apprehended while bringing illegal drugs into an establishment. At present, a police investigation is proceeding into allegations that drugs were brought by staff into another.