HC Deb 17 February 1998 vol 306 cc536-8W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of hepatitis C there were among prison inmates in each of the last 10 years in each prison in Britain. [29838]

Ms Quin

Figures on the number of cases of hepatitis C in each prison in England and Wales have been collected only since 1995. Prisoners are not routinely screened for hepatitis C and cases are recorded only when prisoners volunteer information about their hepatitis C status. The table records the number of such cases recorded in the financial years 1995–96 and 1996–97. I have asked for official advice on the implications of introducing routine screening.

Total number of hepatitis C cases reported in year.
Establishment 1995–96 1996–97
Acklington 0 0
Malbany 0 3
Aldington 0 0
Ashwell 0 4
Askham Grange 2 8
Aylesbury 1 2
Bedford 1 4
Belmarsh 0 0
Birmingham 0 2
Blakenhurst 6 27
Blantyre House 0 0
Blundeston 7 13
Brinsford 0 0
Bristol 0 0
Brixton 0 8
Brockhill 2 19
Buckley Hall 0 6
Bullingdon 1 19
Bullwood Hall 1 0
Camp Hill 0 3
Canterbury 0 22
Cardiff 12 0
Castington 0 0
Channings Wood 12 7
Chelmsford 0 1
Coldingley 4 2
Cookham Wood 13 7
Dartmoor 10 16
Deerbolt 0 0
Doncaster 22 9
Dorchester 9 4
Dover 0 0
Down view 1 0
Drake Hall 5 17
Durham 1 0
East Sutton Park 0 2
Eastwood Park 2 10
Elmley 2 2
Erlestoke 3 2
Everthorpe 22 29
Exeter 10 16
Featherstone 1 1

Total number of hepatitis C cases reported in year.
Establishment 1995–96 1996–97
Feltham 3 0
Ford 1 1
Frankland 0 7
Full Sutton 0 4
Garth 0 3
Gartree 0 0
Glen Parva 0 3
Gloucester 1 4
Grendon 13 3
Guys Marsh 1 21
Haslar 0 0
Hatfield 0 0
Haverigg 5 10
Hewell Grange 0 0
Highdown 15 7
Highpoint 8 8
Hindley 0 2
Hollesley Bay 0 0
Holloway 0 49
Holme House 0 1
Hull 19 9
Huntercombe 0 0
Kingston 0 0
Kirkham 1 7
Kirklevington 0 0
Lancaster 0 3
Lancaster Farms 16
Latchmere House 1 0
Leeds 7 0
Leicester 1 4
Lewes 25 0
Leyhill 0 0
Lincoln 2 8
Lindholme 8 46
Littlehey 20 0
Liverpool 1 4
Long Lartin 3 3
Low Newton 8 5
Maidstone 4 3
Manchester 0 0
Moorland 23 25
Morton Hall 2 3
Mount, The 0 3
New Hall 10 28
North Sea Camp 1 3
Northallerton 0 0
Norwich 2 4
Nottingham 17 0
Onley 0 0
Parkhurst 0 5
Pentonville 2 5
Portland 0 1
Prescoed 0 0
Preston 39 45
Ranby 28 4
Reading 0 0
Risley 22 19
Rochester 0 0
Send 0 0
Shepton Mallet 6 4
Shrewsbury 4 0
Spring Hill 5 0
Stafford 0 2
Standford Hill 1 2
Stocken 4 11
Stoke Heath 0 0
Styal 0 2
Sudbury 0 0
Swaleside 2 5
Swansea 1 11
Swinfen Hall 0 2
Thorn Cross 1 0
USK 0 0

Total number of hepatitis C cases reported in year.
Establishment 1995–96 1996–97
Verne, The 8 19
Wakefield 8 1
Wandsworth 6 30
Wayland 3 3
Wealstun 6 5
Wellingborough 0 2
Wellington 0 0
Wetherby 0 0
Whattton 0 0
Whitemoor 0 0
Winchester 0 0
Wolds 19 12
Woodhill 0 0
Wormwood Scrubs 3 3
Wymott 0 5
Total 543 760

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce needle exchanges in prisons to reduce the spread of hepatitis C. [29846]

Ms Quin

There are no plans at present to introduce a needle exchange scheme in prisons in England and Wales but I have commissioned advice on this subject.