§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prison visitors to prisons run by private companies are subject to(a) fingerprints and (b) photographic records. [23208]
§ Beverley HughesYes. Private prisons in England and Wales are required to meet appropriate security standards. Prisons which hold category A prisoners must have some form of visitor recognition system in place, and it is considered good practice in lower category prisons. However, it is for local management to decide exactly which form of visitor recognition system they employ or, for prisons that do not have category A prisoners, how they manage this issue without using such technology.