HC Deb 29 February 1996 vol 272 cc625-6W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects the medical report into the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the causes of Mr. Stevens' death; [17336]

(2) for how long Mr. Dennis Stevens was kept in a body belt in Dartmoor prison prior to his death on 18 October 1995; [17338]

(3) what representations he has received alleging (a) improper procedures and (b) inadequacy in existing procedures in matters relating to the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison; what response he has made; when he expects all the information on this case to be disclosed; and if he will make a statement. [17337]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for these matters 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. Harry Cohen, dated 29 February 1996: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about the death of Mr. Dennis Stevens in Dartmoor prison. Mr. Stevens was in a body belt for 24 hours prior to being discovered dead in his cell on the morning of 18 October 1995. There have been two post-mortems, the second attended by a pathologist representing Mr. Stevens' family. At the second post-mortem, it was agreed that further specialist forensic analysis was required. The coroner will open the inquest once the result of that analysis, which is being carried out in the United States, is available. A number of Members, prisoners' rights groups and others have written to express concern about the circumstances surrounding Mr. Stevens' death. They have been advised that a senior prison governor has conducted an enquiry into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Stevens' death and a separate enquiry into the control and restraint methods used has been commissioned. These enquiries will be in addition to the formal policy enquiry, which is underway. The results of the enquiries into this tragic incident cannot be made available until the inquest. However, I can assure you and Mr. Stevens' family that the service will respond promptly and positively to any recommendations made by the coroner.