HC Deb 17 June 1996 vol 279 cc291-2W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if appropriate equipment exists in all prisons in England and Wales to monitor phone calls being made by inmates. [32466]

Miss Widdecombe

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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 17 June 1996:The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to answer your recent Question about the monitoring of telephone calls in prison. Cardphones for prisoners' use are provided in all establishments in England and Wales and appropriate equipment for monitoring calls is installed in all closed prisons. Arrangements for the monitoring of prisoners' calls are set out in Prison Service Circular Instructions 61/1989 and 21/1992, copies of which are in the Library. Consideration is being given to the introduction of new telephone technology which minimises the risk of prisoner making unauthorised calls. This follows a recent successful pilot study at Full Sutton prison.