§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in respect of the restrictions on prison inmates' private property. [28971]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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. Butler to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 15 May 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 restrictions on prisoners' private property.
Each prison decides on the type of property a prisoner is allowed to retain in line with Prison Standing Orders. Each prison may therefore allow different articles. Security, as well as health and safety aspects are considered before permitting each article.
As a result of Sir John Woodcock's report, volumetric control of prisoners' property is currently being introduced across the prison estate. Under this system, each prisoner may hold up to two boxes of property, plus one outsize item; legal papers; bedding; and an additional set of clothing.