§ Sir Peter LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mothers with young babies sentenced or remanded to prison were admitted to mother and baby units in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. [120622]
§ Mr. BoatengThere are 64 places in total available in the four prison mother and baby units. On 17 April 2000. there were 51 mothers and their babies in the units.
The information requested is given in the table.
Number of mothers admitted to prison mother and baby units for the period 5 April 1999 to 4 April 2000 Remands Convicted awaiting sentence Sentenced Total Askham Grange 0 0 10 10 Holloway 3 2 34 39 New Hall 5 0 20 25 Styal 4 0 20 24 Total 12 2 84 98
§ Sir Peter LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are made to inform women received into prisons that they may apply for a place in a mother and baby unit if they already have a baby. [120621]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Prison Service Order on "The Management of Mother and Baby Units and the Application Process", which was published in February, requires all women's prisons to appoint a named liaison officer to be responsible for ensuring that all women, sentenced or unsentenced, who are pregnant or have a child under eighteen months are identified and informed158W of the arrangements for applying for a place on a mother and baby unit. All women's prisons now have a named liaison officer.
A new prisoner information booklet "All About Mother and Baby Units" was published and widely distributed to all women's prisons in March. Any eligible woman prisoner who expresses an interest in applying for a place for her child must be provided with the booklet which contains the standard application form.