§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent directions he has given to the Director General of Her Majesty's Prison Service concerning security in the north-west; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will make a statement on the security situation in prisons in the north-west.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 12 January 1995]: The Secretary of State and the Director General of the Prison Service have made it clear that security in all prisons is of the utmost importance and that security instructions must be assiduously followed. These instructions apply to prisons in the north-west as they do elsewhere in the prison system.
The Secretary of State has accepted the recommendations of the report of Sir John Woodcock into the escape of prisoners from Whitemoor and these will be implemented, where appropriate, throughout England and Wales.
The results of the internal inquiry into the escapes from Parkhurst will be carefully studied by General Sir John Learnmont, whom the Secretary of State has asked to review security and security procedures in the Prison Service.