§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what items have been found as a result of(a) strip searches and (b) anal searches in the last 12 months at Her Majesty's prison, Long Lartin; and if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of such searches; [25877]
(2) what is the routine for (a) strip searches and (b) anal searches at HMP Long Lartin; and how many such searches have been carried out in the last 12 months. [25876]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 23 April 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about strip and anal searches in Long Lartin prison.The procedures for strip searching at Long Lartin are the same as those contained in the Prison Service manual on security, copies of which are available in the Library. Prison staff at Long Lartin do not perform intimate searches.Strip searches are performed mainly on two occasions: during a cell search and on suspicion following a visitFigures are not available in the form requested, however of the 203 cell searches carried out between January and April, there were 100 finds of unauthorised articles. During the period November 1995 and April 1996, 139 searches were conducted following visits which resulted in three items being found.Details of the articles and where they were found could be provided only at disproportionate cost