§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the prisoner demonstration that occurred at Buckley Hall prison on 16 April;how many prisoners took part in a rooftop demonstration; how many were subsequently moved to another prison; and what investigations will be carried out by the Prison Service. [26024]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 23 April 1996]: Responsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 24 April 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking if he will make a statement on the prisoner demonstration that occurred at Buckley hall prison on the 16 April; how many prisoners took part in a rooftop demonstration; how many 172W were subsequently moved to another prison; and what investigations will be carried out by the Prison Service.On 16 April a minor passive demonstration was made by a group of prisoners who wished to express grievances about tighter control on release on temporary licence. This was resolved by discussion and no disciplinary charges were laid. There was no roof top demonstration. The incident lasted approximately two hours.Later in the day one prisoner was transferred to another establishment. Normal debriefing arrangements are now in hand with regard to the incident.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been given to the local police in dealing with media inquiries in relation to Buckley Hall prison; and in what circumstances they are instructed by his Department to refer media inquiries about Buckley Hall prison to Group 4. [26025]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 23 April 1996]: Responsibility 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 Richard Tilt to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 24 April 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what instructions have been given to the local police in dealing with media inquiries in relation to Buckley Hall prison; and in what circumstances they are instructed by his department to refer media inquiries about Buckley Hall prison to Group 4.There are no instructions given to the local police when dealing with media inquiries in relation to Buckley Hall prison. Media incident inquiries within the Prison Service are normally referred to the Prison Service Press Office.In addition Buckley Hall also refers inquiries to the Group 4 Press Office.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, column 291, on a full inspection of Buckley Hall prison, on what date, and by whom, the decision was taken that all new prisons should be operational for two years before being fully inspected and what are the implications of this for short, unannounced visits by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons. [25760]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 23 April 1996]: The decision that new Prison Service establishments should not be inspected until they have been operational for at least two years was taken in 1993 by the then chief inspector. The policy applies to inspections which are included in Her Majesty's inspectorate's annual programme of inspections. In addition, Her Majesty's chief inspector may inspect prisons unannounced, or direct a member of Her Majesty's inspectorate to do so, at any time.
§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, column 293, on security fencing at Buckley Hall prison, how the design of the initial fencing at the prison differed from other similar category C prisons; and for what reasons the cost of additional fencing and external cameras is being incurred by Group 4. [25761]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 23 April 1996]: Responsibility 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.
173WLetter from Richard Tilt to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 24 April 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the design of the fencing and the cost of additional fencing and external cameras at Buckley Hall prison.The prison fence at Buckley Hall is a standard category C prison perimeter and was designed by the Prison Service.Following the escape, on 19 February, of a prisoner who was serving a sentence of two and a half years for burglary a Prison Service investigation concluded that a number of factors had contributed to the escape.Although Group 4's record for security at Buckley Hall is similar to that of comparable category C prisons, they were warned that the Prison Service took the view that there had been security failures and intended to impose a remedy. In the event Group 4, having reassessed physical security at Buckley Hall is investing in the provision of additional security measures including fencing and security cameras.