§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the questions put to them in the annual report of the Board of Visitors of Her Majesty's Prison Wandsworth, namely whether:
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- (a) they will ensure that effective sentence planning is carried out;
- (b) they will take steps to ensure that when foreign prisoners who are to be deported finish their sentences they are removed speedily and not held in prison for a further period of many months; and
- (c) they will ensure that sufficient resources are provided to pursue an effective drugs strategy.
§ Lord Williams of MostynHer Majesty's Prison Wandsworth has recently agreed new profiling levels for staff which will effectively eliminate some of the difficulties experienced with sentence planning. The prison is now within 95 per cent. of its target time and is continuing to strive for improvement.
Both the Prison Service and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are taking active steps to ensure that prisoners are not held in prison after their sentences have expired. These steps include reminding the police, courts and prisons of the need to notify them promptly of convictions; speeding up the consideration of claims for asylum; the early resolution of appeals; and establishing new working practices to speed up the process of obtaining travel documents.
36WAHer Majesty's Prison Wandsworth receives funding for a comprehensive drug strategy programme. Its plans for this year will increase the range of services to prisoners who want treatment. These plans include the setting up of a voluntary testing unit, a so-called "drug-free wing", in line with the Government's commitment to provide access to a voluntary testing unit for any prisoner who wishes it.