§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to(a) identify,(b) promote and (c) disseminate good practice in the way in which prison officers deal with deaf prisoners throughout the Prison Service. [45476]
§ Ms QuinThe Prison Service does recognise the needs of deaf prisoners. Most recently, the Service's Instruction 79/1996 alerted governors, in keeping with the first 179W provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, of the need to comply with these provisions which are concerned with attitudes towards disabled people and an awareness of their needs, and prohibiting discrimination against them in relation to access to goods, facilities and services. Further guidance will be published later this year on the management of prisoners with physical and sensory disabilities, setting out practice to be implemented across all establishments in England and Wales. In implementing the provisions of the DDA, the Prison Service will consult with external organisations representing people with hearing, sight and other disabilities.