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Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 November 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 November 2006. It was answered by Gerry Sutcliffe (Labour) on Thursday, 23 November 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Prisons

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what inspections have been carried out in HM Prisons by human rights and associated organisations in the last six years; and what the (a) duration and (b) purpose was of each inspection.
Answer

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) conducts regular inspections of all prisons in England and Wales and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (ECPT) also has the right to enter and inspect prisons in the UK. HMCIP conducts full inspections of adult prisons every five years. In addition, risk assessed follow up inspections will take place in between this cycle. Full inspections generally last for five days and short follow up inspections three days. The purpose of HMCIP inspections is to inspect the treatment and conditions of prisoners. The inspectorate uses its own published inspection criteria, called ““expectations””, which are informed by internal service standards and instructions, as well as international legal instruments and court judgments. Further information on the purpose of HMCIP inspections, inspection duration and frequency and copies of inspection reports are available on the Inspectorate's website: http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprisons/. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has made six visits to UK prisons and other places of detention in the last six years: 4-16 February 2001: to examine the treatment of persons detained in prisons and other places of detention in England and Wales 17-21 February 2002: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh and Highdown prisons and other places of detention in England 12-23 May 2003: to examine the treatment of persons detained in prisons and other places of detention in England, Scotland and the Isle of Man 14-19 March 2004: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh and Woodhill prisons and other places of detention in England 11-15 July 2005: to examine the treatment of suspected terrorists in Belmarsh prison and other places of detention in England, and to monitor the treatment and conditions of detention of a person convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who is serving his sentence in the United Kingdom 20-25 November 2005: to examine the treatment of persons held under the Immigration Act 1971 in Full Sutton and Long Lartin prisons and other places of detention in England Further details of all six visits can be accessed on the committee's website: http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/states/gbr.htm. The Committee is mandated to examine, by means of visits, the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty with a view to strengthening, if necessary, the protection of such persons from torture and from inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
101421; 453 c232-3W
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Inspections Prisons