§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the prisons that have a disability officer to monitor prisoners with physical, sensory or mental disability; [12113]
(2) what plans he has to ensure that there is a disability officer to monitor prisoners with a physical, sensory or mental disability in each prison. [12114]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility 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 A. J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 January 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions asking if he will list all the prisons which have a disability officer to monitor prisoners with physical, sensory or mental disability and what plans he has to ensure that there is a disability officer to monitor prisoners with a physical, sensory or mental disability in each prison.
Prison Service establishments are not at present required to appoint disability officers for monitoring such prisoners. Prison Service policy and practice in relation to disabled prisoners is currently being reviewed, with the assistance of an advisory group on which organisations representing people with sight, hearing and other disabilities are represented. The provision of having in each establishment an officer with specific responsibility for matters relating to disabled prisoners is a suggestion which has arisen in consultation and will be duly considered.