HL Deb 28 October 2004 vol 665 cc138-40WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many suicides or attempted suicides have been recorded in HM Prison Wakefield this year and in each of the previous two years; whether they have evidence of bullying either by inmates or staff of this prison; and, if so, what action they are taking. [HL4305]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)

The numbers of apparently self-inflicted deaths and numbers of self-harm incidents reported at Wakefield Prison between 2002 and 2004 to date are shown in the following table:

Wakefield Prison
Year Number of apparently self- inflicted deaths1 Number of reported incidents of self-harm
2002 1 25
2003 0 250
2004 33 437
1 The Prison Service employs the term "self-inflicted death" rather than "suicide." This includes all those deaths where it appears the person may have acted specifically to take their own life.

2 In December 2002, a new form for reporting self-harm (the F213SH) was introduced across the prisons estate in England and Wales, which is known to have improved reporting practices. Please note therefore that much of the increase in reported self-harm from 2003 onwards might result from the change in reporting procedures rather than reflect an actual increase in incidence of self-harm.

3 Figure covers the period up to and including 7 October 2004.

4 Figure covers the period up to and including 30 June 2004.

Suicidal intent is not easy to establish. The reasons why people self-injure are highly complex, and it is difficult to distinguish between acts of self-harm that were attempts at ending life, and those that occurred for other reasons. It is not possible, therefore, for the Prison Service to determine from the general figures recording incidents of self-harm those acts that could be described as attempts at suicide. The figures for self-harm above therefore include all acts of self-harm, however serious.

Wakefield takes very seriously any suggestions of prisoner on prisoner, staff on prisoner, prisoner on staff or staff on staff bullying. Between 1 January 2002 and 10 October 2004, 24 incidents of staff bullying have been investigated and 31 prisoners have been made subject to Wakefield's formal anti-bullying procedures. Other bullying incidents are dealt with informally through the work of Wakefield's suicide prevention anti-bullying (SPAB) officers.

Wakefield has a local anti-bullying strategy in place and its anti-bullying committee meets monthly to discuss the strategy's application and effectiveness. Prisoner representatives attend these meetings and have been invaluable in identifying potential weak areas upon which the prison can concentrate its efforts.

Wakefield will, by November 2004, have in place a local violence reduction strategy appropriate to its needs. The Prison Service's violence reduction strategy was launched in May 2004, and aims to reduce violence and fear of violence. A whole prison approach, focusing on personal safety, supporting victims, and repairing the physical and emotional harm caused by violence or abuse links closely with the suicide prevention strategy.

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What changes have been made in (a) regimes and (b) administration at HM Prison Wakefield, since the last report on that prison by the Inspector-General of Prisons. [HL4306]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) inspected Wakefield Prison in October 2003 and in her report published in March 2004, made a number of recommendations.

While the recommendations made by HMCIP are currently being developed in the form of an action plan, specific, significant changes to the (a) regime and (b) administration of the prison are:

  1. (a) a new core day has been successfully introduced allowing longer periods at work for prisoners while maintaining availability of other regime activities;
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  2. (b) a dedicated head of learning and skills has been appointed, reporting directly to the governor, together with the introduction of the head of resettlement covering areas of offending behaviour work, lifer management and sentence planning.

Both of these initiatives, while fitting in with the recommendations of HMCIP, were planned some time before the inspection.