§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason telephone conversations between solicitors and their clients are tape recorded at 297W Her Majesty's Prison Whitemoor; when this practice started; and if he will make a statement. [908]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Chris Mullin, dated 23 November 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the tape recording of telephone calls between solicitors and their clients at Whitemoor prison.The policy on the use of cardphones by prisoners is set out in Circular Instruction 21/1992, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. A copy is attached for ease of reference. This states that all calls made by prisoners using the cardphone system will be recorded and are liable to be monitored. Cardphones are provided for use only by those prisoners who consent to this. Cardphones were introduced into most parts of Whitemoor in 1992 and into the special secure unit in June 1995.Use of a cardphone is a privilege and prisoners are informed that it is not possible to guarantee the confidentiality of conversations with their legal advisers using the system. Prisoners at Whitemoor are advised to communicate legally privileged information either by letter or during a visit.The arrangements for prisoners' access to the cardphone system at Whitemoor are in accordance with current policy and are the same as those for all closed establishments within the prison estate.