§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to prevent prisoners losing all contact with their families and to avoid the collapse of prisoners' marriages; and [HL4248]
What, if any, improvements the Prison Service has planned to current systems for booking prison visits and for transport available to visiting families; especially to the more remote prisons. [HL4251]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe Prison Service recognises the importance of promoting and facilitating the maintenance of close and meaningful contact between prisoners and their family and friends. This may be achieved by social visits, by telephone or written correspondence.
A number of establishments are improving the environment for social visits, within the constraints of prison security. An increasing number offer extended or family visits that focus on improving the relationship between imprisoned parent and child.
The Prison Service also recognises the difficulties of maintaining marriages and other relationships. It has constructive partnerships with organisations that have experts in the delivery of programmes in this area, such as Relate.
The Prison Service is continuing to look critically at how the current booking systems for visits operate, as well as looking at how new or existing technology can be used to improve the position. Some establishments already offer alternatives to booking by telephone, such as the prisoner booking the visit or the visitor booking a future visit while at the establishment.
Several establishments are working with voluntary organisations or transport companies to try to ease the burden of travel for visitors. A number of improvements have recently been made to the Prison Service's Assisted Prison Visits Scheme, which provides financial assistance with travel costs for those visitors who are on low income. Changes include permitting grandparents to be classed as close relatives, increases in the tax credit household income threshold, and an increase in the overnight accommodation rate.
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§ The Earl of Listowelasked Her Majesty's Government:
What good practice guidelines they have published on booking prison visits and prison visitor centres; and [HL4302]
What is the acceptable maximum response time to telephone callers wishing to book a visit to a family member in prison. [HL4303]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalIn January 2003, the Prison Service wrote to all Prison Service area managers disseminating principles of good practice which could be applied to the arrangements for booking social visits. An update will be issued to governors early next year and it remains a matter for each governor to determine to what extent the recommendations can be applied to augment existing local practices.
Good Practice Guidelines for Visitors' Centres were published in 1998 and most of the content remains relevant. However, to complement that document the Prison Service commissioned "Recognising Quality", a self-evaluation and reference toolkit for visitors' centres, to be used in conjunction with the guidelines. "Recognising Quality" was launched at a Prison Service sponsored conference in April 2003, which specifically focused on visitors' centres. This was also a good opportunity for those directly involved with the management of visitors' centres to share and report to other delegates individual examples of good practice.
The maximum response time for telephone callers to book a social visit is not prescribed centrally as it would not be practicable to do so. I would draw the noble Earl's attention to the fact that an increasing number of establishments offer alternative methods of booking. It is hoped that these and other measures will ease the burden on booking lines.