Written question asked by John Austin (Labour) on Friday, 5 March 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 March 1999. It was answered by George Howarth (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 March 1999 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the Prisons Ombudsman regarding complaints about deaths in prison custody and the rights of a deceased person's family; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Prisons Ombudsman regarding complaints about deaths in prison custody and the rights of a deceased person's family; and if he will make a statement. [75893] Mr. George Howarth: The Prisons Ombudsman meets Home Office Ministers on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues. An internal Home Office review, which reported in November 1998, considered whether the Prisons Ombudsman's terms of reference should be extended to include the investigation of complaints relating to deaths in prison custody. The report recommended that a decision on this issue should be deferred until the Prison Service had established its policy on the disclosure of its internal investigation reports. A protocol allowing pre-inquest disclosure of investigation reports to properly interested parties is to be introduced on 1 April. We intend to reconsider whether the Prisons Ombudsman's remit should include deaths in custody once the impact of this protocol has been properly assessed.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 75893; 327 c275W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Complaints Disclosure of information Death Prisoners Prisons Prisons Ombudsman