§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private shopping visits were made by prison officers for inmates in prisons in England and Wales during the week of 2 to 7 January.
§ 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 23 January 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about private shopping trips made by prison officers for inmates during the week of 2 to 7 January.On 19 December the Home Secretary announced in the House that the practice of prison officers going shopping at the behest of prisoners had stopped. Purchases will take place only through the prison canteen. No private shopping trips by prison officers were reported during the week of 2 to 7 January.