HL Deb 30 June 2004 vol 663 cc27-8WA

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a prisoner who refuses to attend a faith-based offending behaviour course for reasons of conscience is in any way disadvantaged; and whether prisons offering no alternative to such a course will notify prisoners in writing that they will not be disadvantaged; and [HL3223]

What instructions they have provided to the Prison Service to ensure that a prisoner who is required to attend an offending behaviour course as an essential precondition of his parole but declines to attend a faith-based course for reasons of conscience is offered a transfer to a prison which (a) runs an equivalent non-faith based course; (b) is equally convenient for visitors; and (c) allows him to continue with any course of study he is undertaking. [HL3224]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There are no faith-based offending behaviour programmes for prisoners accredited by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (CSAP). Some prisons do run faith-based courses accredited by other recognised bodies and open to all prisoners, for example on victim awareness, but no prisoner should be disadvantaged for refusing to attend such a course for reasons of conscience. Where there are good reasons why a prisoner cannot participate in a particular recommended activity, this should be recorded in the sentence plan.

It is open to the prisoner to seek a transfer to another prison running a similar non faith-based course. Current guidance requires governors to consider regime and family contact issues before moving prisoners and, whenever possible, to avoid moving prisoners if it disrupts their participation in an educational course or treatment programme or their consideration for parole. However, where a prisoner is identified as needing work, treatment or education programmes, which are not available at their current location, they may be moved to another appropriate prison; subject to available vacancies at that establishment.

There are no essential pre-conditions of parole that require a prisoner to attend an offending related course. It is, however, a mandatory requirement that reports of any offence related courses attended are included in a prisoner's parole dossier. The Parole Board, an independent non-departmental executive body, determines parole and the Prison Service has no input into the parole decision process.