Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

46994

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Imprisonment for Public Protection prisoners were imprisoned at the latest date available date; how many of those were beyond the tariff; and of those beyond their tariff, how many (1) have completed rehabilitation programmes courses successfully, (2) have been on rehabilitation courses but have not completed them successfully, (3) have been offered rehabilitation courses but are awaiting their completion, and (4) have not been offered rehabilitation courses.
	tabling member printed	Lord Wigley
	uin	HL6602
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Parole Board assesses the risk posed by individual prisoners when considering their release or transfer to open conditions, and work that has been completed to reduce these risks, rather than only looking at whether specific offending behaviour programmes (OBPs) have been completed. It is not mandatory for Indeterminate Sentence Prisoners to complete OBPs in order to achieve release. Other work that may help to reduce risk may take the form of accredited OBPs; however, it may also include activities such as education or training, work, one to one sessions with a psychologist and a range of other interventions. Although in some circumstances an OBP may be the preferred option, the Parole Board may consider that an offender has reduced their risk of harm, despite not being able to attend a particular course, because they have been able to undertake other offending behaviour work which has achieved the same outcome.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As at 31 December 2013 there were 5,335 prisoners serving an Indeterminate Sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection, of which 3,561 were beyond the tariff.</p><p>Of these prisoners beyond tariff, 3,160 had completed at least one accredited offending behaviour programme successfully; 415 had attended a programme and not completed it successfully and of these, 62 had yet to complete any programme successfully; and 184 are currently attending a programme and the outcome is not yet known.</p><p> </p><p>The figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p><p> </p><p>No information is collected on how many prisoners have not been offered an accredited offending behaviour programme and this could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
	tabling member	547 label Biography information for Lord Wigley

45744

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many legal cases were decided under Sharia law in the United Kingdom in 2012 and 2013.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
	uin	HL6393
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>Sharia law has no jurisdiction here and legal cases are not decided under Sharia law in the United Kingdom's courts and tribunals. The answer to the question is therefore ‘none'.</p><p>If people choose to use Sharia for the purposes of dispute resolution or to agree a contract, for example, the enforceability of such arrangements will be entirely dependent on the law of the relevant part of the United Kingdom.</p><p>Regardless of religious belief everyone in the United Kingdom is equal before the law of the land.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

47764

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were given a community sentence with a mental health community treatment order in each Probation Trust area in each of the last three years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
	uin	HL6712
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Department of Health, Ministry of Justice and the Home Office are working closely with NHS England to deliver Liaison &amp; Diversion services. These will ensure that offenders' health needs (mental health, learning disability and substance misuse) are identified and assessed, and that the appropriate referral is made at the earliest opportunity within the criminal justice system. The information gained from such assessments should inform key decision makers within the CJS, so that prosecutors and sentencers are able to make more informed decisions.</p><p> </p><p>Liaison and diversion services will be introduced in police custody suites and criminal courts across England and funding has been transferred to NHS England to commission a test model from April 2014 that will form the basis of the rollout of this national service.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of offenders starting supervision under Community Orders with mental health treatment requirements attached, in each probation trust in England and Wales, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and January to September 2013. Data for the last quarter of 2013 will be available from 24 April 2014.</p><p>These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to errors with data entry and processing.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="7">Offenders starting supervision under Community Orders with mental health</td></tr><tr><td colspan="7">requirements attached, by Probation Trust, England and Wales</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Trust</td><td>2010</td><td>2011</td><td>2012</td><td>Jan-Sep 2013<sup>(1)</sup></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Avon &amp; Somerset</td><td>13</td><td>13</td><td>8</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Bedfordshire</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Cambridgeshire</td><td>15</td><td>7</td><td>12</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Cheshire</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Durham Tees Valley</td><td>14</td><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Cumbria</td><td>8</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Derbyshire</td><td>6</td><td>8</td><td>7</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Devon &amp; Cornwall</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Dorset</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Essex</td><td>33</td><td>35</td><td>19</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td>Gloucestershire</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Hampshire</td><td>23</td><td>19</td><td>17</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>West Mercia</td><td>16</td><td>13</td><td>4</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Hertfordshire</td><td>29</td><td>12</td><td>10</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Humberside</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Kent</td><td>16</td><td>16</td><td>17</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td>Lancashire</td><td>10</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>Leicestershire</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Lincolnshire</td><td>7</td><td>10</td><td>6</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>Greater Manchester</td><td>57</td><td>52</td><td>41</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>Merseyside</td><td>19</td><td>13</td><td>12</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>Norfolk &amp; Suffolk</td><td>7</td><td>17</td><td>18</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Northamptonshire</td><td>6</td><td>11</td><td>6</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Northumbria</td><td>19</td><td>10</td><td>7</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Nottinghamshire</td><td>12</td><td>12</td><td>4</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Thames Valley</td><td>22</td><td>18</td><td>22</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>Staffs &amp; West Mids</td><td>47</td><td>36</td><td>26</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td>Surrey &amp; Sussex</td><td>23</td><td>19</td><td>24</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>Warwickshire</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Wiltshire</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>8</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>North Yorkshire</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>South Yorkshire</td><td>20</td><td>15</td><td>7</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>West Yorkshire</td><td>18</td><td>15</td><td>8</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Wales</td><td>30</td><td>37</td><td>37</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>London</td><td>172</td><td>161</td><td>157</td><td>112</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>England and Wales</td><td>696</td><td>606</td><td>523</td><td>418</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="7">(1) Data for October-December 2013 available after pubication on 24 April 2014</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="8"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="7"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="7"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
	tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

41679

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions brought in the last 10 years under sections 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29B, 29C, 29D, 29E and 29F of the Public Order Act 1986 and under sections 31 and 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have resulted in a guilty verdict.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
	uin	HL5770
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for selected offences under the Public Order Act 1986 and Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in England and Wales, from 2004 to 2012 (latest data available) can be viewed in the table.</p><p> </p><p>Court proceedings statistics for the year 2013 are planned to be published by the Ministry of Justice in May 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Faulks grouped question UIN HL5769 question first answered 02/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks attachment 1 file name HL5769 5770 - Lord Lester.XLS title HL5769 & 5770 table refered to in answer.
	tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

41678

	registered interest
	date	05/03/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions have been brought in the last 10 years under sections 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29B, 29C, 29D, 29E and 29F of the Public Order Act 1986 and under sections 31 and 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
	uin	HL5769
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for selected offences under the Public Order Act 1986 and Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in England and Wales, from 2004 to 2012 (latest data available) can be viewed in the table.</p><p> </p><p>Court proceedings statistics for the year 2013 are planned to be published by the Ministry of Justice in May 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Faulks grouped question UIN HL5770 question first answered 02/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks attachment 1 file name HL5769 5770 - Lord Lester.XLS title HL5769 & 5770 table refered to in answer.
	tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

44578

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been paid in legal aid fees over the last five years to law firms Public Interest Lawyers and Leigh Day to conduct cases alleging abuse by British soldiers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
	uin	HL6235
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p>The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) cannot separately identify legal aid cases for those Iraqis alleging abuse by British Soldiers without disproportionate costs. Legal aid cases are not systematically recorded against nationality or cause of action.</p><p> </p><p>Leigh Day have not acted under legal aid in these types of cases. Public Interest Lawyers have acted for Iraqi clients under legal aid in cases seeking investigations into deaths and mistreatment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The net payments to Public Interest Lawyers over the past five years were:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Amount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008/09</p></td><td><p>£628,527.75</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>£267,433.88</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>£439,268.02</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>£331,238.85</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>£54,387.48</p><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>These payments cover all work undertaken by the firm under legal aid. The payments made will be offset by recoupment on successful cases where the opponent has paid the costs.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

47874

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government in respect of right to manage requests, what is the average time between (1) the application for a hearing at the First Tier Tribunal and the actual hearing, (2) a First Tier Tribunal hearing and the issuing of the decision, and (3) an Appeal and an Upper Tribunal hearing.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL6816
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p>Right to manage cases, which are leasehold disputes, are heard in the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber. Onward appeals from the First-tier tribunal are to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber). HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the Property Chamber and the Upper Tribunal (Land Chamber). The number of cases received by the First-tier tribunal and Upper Tribunal is published by the Ministry of Justice Tribunal Statistics (quarterly) on the GOV.UK website at the following address:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics</a></p><p>Data specific to right to manage cases is not routinely published. To obtain the information requested would require interrogation of case files within the First-tier tribunal and the Upper tribunal, and quality assurance checks on that data to ensure it is accurate, reliable and in a form suitable for publication. This could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Lord Newby question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

46996

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to respond to the recommendation by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that not all cells in the High Security Unit and Special Security Unit were equipped with furniture and furnishings in line with the Prison Service's operating standards for such units.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
	uin	HL6604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.</p><p> </p><p>2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit's operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.</p><p> </p><p><em>3. </em>The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Newby grouped question UIN HL6603 HL6605 question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

46995

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to respond to the recommendation by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that the library should increase its opening hours so that all prisoners have access to it.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
	uin	HL6603
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.</p><p> </p><p>2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit's operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.</p><p> </p><p><em>3. </em>The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Newby grouped question UIN HL6604 HL6605 question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

45981

	registered interest
	date	31/03/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their reasons for reducing the access to books of prisoners serving sentences in England and Wales.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
	uin	HL6459
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p><em>We have not made any policy changes specifically about the availability of books in prisons.</em></p><p> </p><p>We have always recognised the importance of reading and literature in the rehabilitative process, and the positive effects these have on prisoners' welfare. <em>Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access. Prisoners may hold up to 12 books in their cell at any one time, and additional books can be stored locally at the prison. </em>The National Offender Management Service also works closely with the Shannon Trust to support schemes such as 'Toe by Toe', which includes peer mentoring to improve reading levels.</p><p> </p><p>There have always been controls on the sending of parcels into prisons, and allowing parcels to be sent in unrestricted would be operationally unmanageable and would lead to a significant risk of drugs and other illicit items being smuggled into prisons.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 10/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill