HC Deb 15 June 1998 vol 314 c63W
26. Mr. Cranston

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on ministerial visits to prisons. [44269]

Ms Quin

Ministers visit prisons to see for themselves what is happening at individual establishments, to talk to staff and their union representatives, to prisoners and to members of Boards of Visitors about matters of concern to them. While most visits are notified in advance I have made it clear that I intend to make some unannounced visits. I also have sought to vary visits by arranging to `shadow' governors and prison officers to accompany Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons as one of his inspectors.