HL Deb 15 February 1999 vol 597 c58WA
Lord Dholakia

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, under the new policy announced on 25 January, a prisoner whose visitor has attempted to smuggle drugs will be banned from receiving visits from all visitors for three months followed by closed visits for three months, or whether this applies only to visits from the offending visitor; and what arrangements will be made in appropriate cases for visits from the prisoner's children to continue. [HL929]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The ban on visiting will apply only to the visitor who is found to be bringing drugs into the prison. Other visitors will be free to continue to make visits to the prisoner but, if the prisoner is known or believed to be involved in bringing in drugs, these visits will for a period be held in closed or non-contact conditions. In considering whether or not to impose a ban and in determining the duration of a ban, governors will take into account the rights of the prisoner and visitors to respect for their family life.