HC Deb 27 March 2001 vol 365 cc600-1W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the provision of education and skills training to inmates of HM prisons; [155772]

(2) what plans he has to improve the provision of education to inmates of Her Majesty's prisons. [155771]

Mr. Boateng

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Ms Coffey) on 14 February 2001,Official Report, column 172W.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) provision of ITC skills training programmes in KM Prisons there is and (b) plans he has to extend such provision. [155751]

Mr. Boateng

The Prison Service is working to include Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the education provision of all Prison Service establishments. The Service held an Information Technology (IT) conference in London on 21 March and it is intended to follow this up by creating a steering group to facilitate IT strategy and policy for all prison education departments. The Prison Service is developing a number of pilots including the University for Industry/"learn direct" in six establishments, aimed at enhancing basic and key skills using interactive computing technology; the European Computer Driving Licence in the Yorkshire and Humberside area; die computer repair and maintenance (CRAM) project, in conjunction with the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO) in Brighton, to teach prisoners how to repair computers and linked to a job search programme; the Leonardos pilot, a tri-national project run by the probation service to enhance learning for different nationalities.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to encourage inmates of HM prisons to participate in distance learning. [155770]

Mr. Boateng

The Prison Service has arrangements for eligible prisoners to undertake degree and other higher education courses with the Open University. Many prison education departments facilitate open learning through the National Extension College while some use courses provided by the National Distance Learning College. In the longer term the Prison Service partnership with the University for Industry will provide access for prisoners to distance learning packages.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has plans to make the internet accessible to inmates of HM Prison service. [155768]

Mr. Boateng

There are no plans to provide prisoners with unrestricted direct access to the Internet. Many prison education departments have internet accessible computers allowing information to be downloaded by the relevant member of staff when required.

Prisoners do have access to internet based learning material through the Learn Direct partnership. There are also a number of education departments that have CD-ROM based learning material with the aim of improving literacy and numeracy, thereby avoiding the need for direct internet access.