HC Deb 27 February 1997 vol 291 c288W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what circumstances video recording occurs of prisoners giving urine samples for random drug tests; [16357]

(2) how many prisoners have (a) been fined, (b) lost remission and (c) been subject to other disciplinary sanction for refusing to co-operate with a random drug test before a video camera. [16358]

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for these matters 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. Kevin McNamara, dated 27 February 1997: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the circumstances under which video-recording occurs of prisoners giving urine samples for random drug testing; and disciplinary sanctions resulting from prisoners refusing to co-operate with such a test before a video camera. There are no circumstances under which a prisoner has given a sample of urine for the purposes of drug testing while being video-recorded. Consequently, no prisoners have been disciplined for refusal to co-operate with such conditions.