§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the benefits of meditation practices to prisoners. [8011]
§ Beverley HughesMeditation is one of a limited number of complementary therapies which Prison Service establishments were instructed in 1998 could be made available to individual prisoners on the recommendation of the prison doctor, strictly for health reasons. When drawing up the relevant instruction the Prison Service took advice from the Department of Health. The Prison Service has made no formal assessment of the benefits to prisoners of meditation practices since that instruction was issued.