§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the action plan in response to the review on mothers and babies and children in prison. [104125]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Prison Service announced earlier this year that it would publish an action plan setting out how it intended to respond to the 62 recommendations made in the 'Report of a Review of Principles, Policies and Procedures on Mothers and Babies/Children in Prison'. This has now been completed and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
I am pleased to say that the Service has accepted the majority of the recommendations in full. This will mean new procedures governing admission to the units and published standards for their management. More importantly, the Director General has reinforced his acceptance that the overriding principle guiding the provision and allocation of places in mother and baby units should be in the best interests of the child.
490WI am grateful to the members of the working group who prepared the report, particularly those from outside the Service. Their expertise, and the commitment from the Prison Service to implement the recommendations will help ensure that the needs of children and mothers in custody are met.