§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they propose to take following the comments made on drug trafficking at Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution and Remand Centre, Brinsford, in the report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons and whether they propose to discuss with the Crown Prosecution Service and the police the policy on prosecutions relating to drug smuggling in closed penal institutions.
§ Baroness BlatchResponsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
70WALetter to Lord Harris of Greenwich from the Director General of the Prison Service, Mr. Derek Lewis, dated 23 January 1995:
Baroness Blatch has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the prosecution of those involved in drug trafficking in Brinsford young offender institution.Since Brinsford opened in November 1991 there has been one case of a visitor found in possession of drugs. The case was reported to the police, who cautioned the visitor. The governor met the police and Crown Prosecution Service to explain the implications for the prison. The local police have since indicated that, with sufficient evidence, they would charge such suspects with intent to supply a controlled drug. A vigorous approach is taken at Brinsford (as at all other establishments) to preventing drugs being smuggled into the establishment.Governors are encouraged to liaise locally with the police and Crown Prosecution Service. The Prison Service have previously made more general representations to the Crown Prosecution Service on the greater impact of offences when they are committed in a prison or young offender institution, because of the wider effect on internal discipline. The Crown Prosecution Service accept this point and have reflected it in the new prosecution code they issued for Crown Prosecutors last summer.