§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that the same categories of information in respect of deaths in custody are provided in private and state prisons. [960]
§ 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 Richard Tilt to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 31 October 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the categories of information provided in respect of deaths in custody in private prisons and state prisons.There is no distinction in the categories of information provided in respect of deaths in custody which occur in privately managed prisons or public sector prisons. It is a contractual requirement that all privately managed prisons report deaths in custody to Prison Service Headquarters in the same way as all other establishments.