§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the written Answer given by Baroness Blatch on 18 November (WA 119), whether they consider that the imposition of a prior ventilation rule, in relation to the procedure for submitting complaints to the Prisons Ombudsman, is compatible with the obligation undertaken by the United Kingdom under Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights to provide an effective remedy before a national court for reasonably arguable claims of breaches of other provisions of the convention by members of the Prison Service; and, if so, whether they will give their reason for this opinion.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)Yes. A prisoner need not have raised his or her complaint with the Prisons Ombudsman in order to seek a remedy through the courts in relation to a Prison Service decision or action.