Written question asked by Malcolm Chisholm (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 May 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 11 May 1999. It was answered by George Howarth (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 May 1999 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list for the period April 1998 to March 1999 (a) the number of occasions on which prisoners were placed in seclusion rooms and (b) the average number of hours spent per occasion in seclusion. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the period April 1998 to March 1999 (a) the number of occasions on which prisoners were placed in seclusion rooms and (b) the average number of hours spent per occasion in seclusion. [83692] Mr. George Howarth: The available information, for the calendar year 1998, is for those inmates held in protective rooms and special cells for temporary confinement in prisons in England and Wales and is given in the table. Information on the average number of hours spent in such confinement is not centrally available. Persons held in protective rooms and special cells for temporary confinement in prisons in England and Wales 1998 {1} _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Type of confinement 1998 On medical grounds: Protective rooms for temporary confinement{2} 375 On non-medical grounds: Special cells/unfurnished cells (other than protective rooms) for 2,557 temporary confinement{3} _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Provisional data {2} Under Rule 46(6), Prison Rules 1964, Rule 49(6) Young Offender Institution Rules, 1988. Number of times used where the period of confinement exceeded 24 hours. {3} Under Rule 45, Prison Rules 1964, Rule 48 Young Offender Institution Rules, 1988. Number of times used.

Secondary information