§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the practice of dye-stamping the hands of visitors visiting prisoners in Bedford prison started; what is the purpose of this practice; and if he will make a statement. [14125]
§ 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 Alastair Papps to Mr. Max Madden, dated 8 February 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about Bedford prison.
Dye-stamping the hands of visitors to prisoners was introduced at Bedford in February 1995. It is an additional security measure to reduce the likelihood of the prisoner walking out of the visits area with visitors and escaping.