§ Dr. VisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether staff at HMP Holloway were permitted to watch the England against Nigeria football match on 12 June; and if visits to prisoners continued during this period. [64501]
§ Hilary BennThere were no special arrangements made for prison staff at Holloway to watch the England against Nigeria football match. The prison arranged for all prisoners to be unlocked in time for the match, so that they could either watch it in their cells or on association. Some staff came in early to enable this to happen. Staff supervising association will have been able to watch the match with prisoners.
The match had no impact on visits as domestic visits do not occur on weekday mornings at Holloway. Visits on the afternoon of 12 June were slightly delayed due to staff shortages and the need to train a new drug dog.