HC Deb 11 March 1996 vol 273 cc444-5W
Ms Lynne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are currently adopted in Buckley Hall prison to stop the smuggling into the prison of (a) alcohol, (b) cannabis and other illegal drugs and Great Britain (c) other items; and what plans there are to increase the Excluded, number of searches carried out on (i) male and (ii) female deported or prison visitors. [19793]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange a reply to be given.

Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Liz Lynne, dated II March 1996:

The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the procedures currently adopted at Buckley Hall prison to stop smuggling, and whether there are any plans to increase the number of searches carried out on both male and female prison visitors.

Every visitor to Buckley Hall prison is already searched before being allowed to visit a prisoner. In addition all visitors are required to pass through a metal detector portal. Procedures for the regular searching of staff are also in place.

Other procedures at Buckley Hall prison to prevent any attempt to smuggle alcohol, cannabis, other illegal drugs or any other items into the prison are extensive. These include the searching of all items accompanying visitors which may hold illicit items. Items taken into the visiting room are x-rayed and there is camera and video monitoring of visits.