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PRIME MINISTER
Refuge Projects (Funding)
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister (1) which Departments have funded children and homeless charities central London refuge projects providing temporary havens for children in the last 15 years; [20406]
- (2) if he will estimate the central Government share of the average costs of providing four days refuge in a safe supervised haven project for a child aged under 16 years in central London; [20408]
(3) when Ministers last discussed the need for and possible means of funding temporary safe havens for runaway children below the age of 16 years in central London; [20407]
(4) if he will review the practicality of instigating a central London children's refuge empowered to negotiate a cost contribution with individual social services departments in order to admit a child on the first day of need. [20409]
The Prime Minister:
The Department of Health has funded children and homeless charities in London on projects providing a refuge for children as defined in the Children Act 1989. Figures are not available to estimate the central Government share of the average cost of providing four days' refuge, but the Department of Health has provided £300,000 over four years in respect of the London-based Centrepoint Glaxo refuge. Department of Health Ministers have met and discussed funding arrangements with voluntary organisations running the London refuge on several occasions; the last meeting was in September 1996. The Government have introduced legislation that enables the establishment of refuges that provide safe havens for children who appear to be at risk of harm. It is for local authorities and other agencies to work together to provide strategic solutions to the provision and funding of services for children in need--including young runaways. The Department of the
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Environment, as part of the rough sleepers initiative in central London, has funded Centrepoint in providing accommodation for young people, usually 18 to 25-year-olds, at a hostel in Vauxhall and for its "Off the Streets" project in Soho. DOE funding for the Vauxhall hostel is £165,000 in 1996-97. In addition, Centrepoint receives funding to provide emergency shelters for young people aged 25 years and under between December and March as part of the annual winter shelter programme under the RSI. In 1996-97, the DOE is funding Centrepoint to run a winter shelter in King's Cross, providing up to 48 bedspaces.
Dr. Godman:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have recently received from the German Government concerning the imprisonment in Holloway prison of Ms Roisin McAliskey; and if he will make a statement. [20426]
The Prime Minister:
As far as I am aware, none.
Birthing Partner (Definition)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the definition of a birthing partner within the Home Office prison regulations. [19715]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 13 March 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the definition of a birthing partner within the Home Office Prison Regulations.
The Prison Service has not sought to define a birthing partner outside of any definition used elsewhere. The Prison Service interprets the term birthing partner as referring to someone who will be present during the whole period of labour to provide emotional support to the mother.
Roisin McAliskey
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on whose authority a label was attached to newspapers sent to Ms Roisin McAliskey stating that they were not to be issued to her until she complained or a parliamentary question was tabled. [19716]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 13 March 1997]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 February, Official Report, column 214, what decisions have been made concerning arrangements for the care of Roisin McAliskey's baby should she give birth while still in prison; and if those decisions were an operational or policy matter. [20072]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the alterations in the prison regime and rules governing the treatment of Roisin McAliskey subsequent to her recategorisation. [20019]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 28 February, Official Report, column 430, if he will support the request of Roisin McAliskey to be accompanied by two close relatives during her confinement should she remain remanded in custody. [20020]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the security categorisation given to Roisin McAliskey; and if the determination of such categorisation is an operational or policy matter. [20018]
Miss Widdecombe:
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 17 March 1997:
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The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about a label attached to newspapers sent to Ms Roisin McAliskey.
Ms McAliskey, like all prisoners, may receive any newspapers she requires from a local newsagent. She is not allowed to receive newspapers direct through the post. On one occasion newspapers
were received in the post. They were not issued but kept so that they could be handed to her family when they visited. Again, this is standard practice with items received for prisoners which they may not have.
A sticker had been attached to the newspapers stating that the papers should not be issued until a complaint was received or a Question asked.
As soon as this was brought to the governor's attention he ordered an immediate investigation under the terms of the Prison Service Code of Discipline. The member of staff responsible for this extremely ill judged and wholly unacceptable behaviour has been orally reprimanded and warned about future behaviour.
I apologise unreservedly for this woeful episode. I am satisfied that swift and appropriate action was taken to deal with the incident.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the decision as to whether Roisin McAliskey may keep her baby with her at Holloway prison.
Roisin McAliskey applied on 14 February to be located on the Mother and Baby Unit at Holloway with her baby after it is born. Her application was considered, following the normal processes which apply to all expectant mothers, by the Admissions Board at Holloway, who considered the views of independent experts in the development needs of babies, as well as logistical issues.
The Assessment Board has now advised the Governor that Roisin McAliskey's application should be approved, the Governor has recommended approval and this recommendation has been accepted by the Operational Director responsible for Holloway. Ms McAliskey has been told that she may keep her baby with her after the birth. She will, as do all other mothers, have to sign a compact agreeing to be of reasonable behaviour and to co-operate with the ethos and regime of the Unit. Babies in the Unit normally remain with their mothers until the age of nine months.
The decision to allow Roisin McAliskey to keep her baby has followed the standard procedures and processes that would apply to any other prisoner.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the alterations to the treatment of Roisin McAliskey following her recategorisation.
Following a routine review of her security status Roisin McAliskey remains a Category A prisoner but has been downgraded from high risk to standard risk within that category. As a result some of the security arrangements which have been in operation have been relaxed.
The number of strip searches to which Roisin McAliskey had been subject has been reduced and she is no longer being strip searched before and after every open visit within the prison. She is now only being strip searched on the same basis as all other prisoners at Holloway. This means before leaving the prison for court appearances and on return to the prison; as part of a cell search and drug testing procedures; on a random basis; or if there were reasonable suspicion she had secreted something about her person. These arrangements took effect on 7 March.
Further relaxations as a consequence of the security review will take effect from 13 March. As a result, she will be able to attend chapel, to use the gym and the swimming pool, and to attend ante-natal classes with other prisoners. The number of overnight security checks will be reduced so that the light in her cell can be extinguished for most of the night.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the request of Roisin McAliskey to be accompanied by two close relatives during her confinement.
As I stated in my reply to your previous question, we have already agreed to Ms McAliskey's request. She will be allowed to have the birthing partners she has requested unless the hospital staff raise any objection on medical grounds.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the security categorisation of Roisin McAliskey.
Both Ministers and the Prison Service have received numerous representations on Ms McAliskey's behalf, and many of these refer to the conditions in which she is being held. These conditions stem, in part from her status as a category A prisoner.
The decision as to the appropriate security category for an individual prisoner is an operational one. Ms McAliskey's security category was set after consideration of the reason for her detention and the risk she would pose should she escape from custody. Her security category is kept under regular review and was recently changed from category A (high risk) to category A (standard risk).
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