§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of victims of crime who are intimidated by prisoners by(a) letter or (b) telephone; and if he will make a statement. [6606]
§ Ms Joyce QuinStatistics are not currently held centrally on the number of victims of crime who are contacted by prisoners Following the unauthorised use of cardphones and correspondence which may result in disciplinary or criminal proceedings being taken against 621W the prisoner concerned. Such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by a detailed inspection of prisoners' records.
Latest figures obtained from the Prison Service Victim Helpline referred to in the Victim's Charter, a copy of which is in the Library, indicate that in 1996 the Helpline received 11 complaints from victims about written communications from prisoners and 5 complaints about contact using a cardphone for prisoners' use.