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179205

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Media
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the justification for the Ministry of Justice’s refusal to permit visits to any prisons by a reporter from <i>The Guardian</i>.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL4942
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The External Communications team at the Ministry of Justice receives a significant number of requests by local and national media for access to prisons. For operational reasons and resource implications it is not possible to facilitate all requests.</p><p> </p><p>Each request is considered on its own merit, with careful thought over the subject area, resource and security implications, victim impact, and value to the taxpayer. In a similar way to the police or the NHS, there are operational considerations to be made when filming or reporting in prisons. When facilitating media access we must ensure that the needs of victims are met, which may involve concealing identities, carrying out relevant checks and liaising directly with victims about the access request. We must also ensure that media access does not breach any security restrictions, for example filming keys or locks. Consideration is also given to protecting the identities of prisoners and staff.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to providing open and transparent access to prison and regularly provide access to journalists for news items, features and documentary programmes. We aim to provide a range of access to different journalists covering both print and broadcast media, local, national and online media.</p><p> </p><p>Since the beginning of January 2015 we have provided access to a range of media outlets, a few examples are listed below:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Guardian were given access to HMP New Hall - http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/30/new-hall-womens-prison-inmates-equals</li><li>BBC and the Sun were giving access to HMP Coldingley</li><li>Regional BBC were giving access to HMP Northumberland (Sodexo run prison)</li><li>Telegraph and Heart Radio were giving access to HMP Drake Hall</li><li>Evening Standard and regional BBC were giving access to HMP Thameside (Serco run prison)</li><li>BBC Radio 4 were giving access to HMP Prescoed/HMP Cardiff</li><li>Sky Sports were giving access to HMP Feltham</li><li>National BBC, regional ITV and the Manchester Evening News were giving access to HMP Styal</li><li>Evening Standard and London Live were giving access to HMP Isis</li><li>East Anglia Daily Times and regional BBC radio were giving access to HMP Hollesley Bay</li><li>Sky News were given access to HMP Ranby</li><li>ITV were given access to HMP Norwich</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Faulks grouped question UIN HL4943 question first answered 25/02/2015 17:02:11 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

179206

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Media
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances and with what conditions access to any prison by a journalist would be permitted.
	tabling member printed	Lord Beecham
	uin	HL4943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>The External Communications team at the Ministry of Justice receives a significant number of requests by local and national media for access to prisons. For operational reasons and resource implications it is not possible to facilitate all requests.</p><p> </p><p>Each request is considered on its own merit, with careful thought over the subject area, resource and security implications, victim impact, and value to the taxpayer. In a similar way to the police or the NHS, there are operational considerations to be made when filming or reporting in prisons. When facilitating media access we must ensure that the needs of victims are met, which may involve concealing identities, carrying out relevant checks and liaising directly with victims about the access request. We must also ensure that media access does not breach any security restrictions, for example filming keys or locks. Consideration is also given to protecting the identities of prisoners and staff.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to providing open and transparent access to prison and regularly provide access to journalists for news items, features and documentary programmes. We aim to provide a range of access to different journalists covering both print and broadcast media, local, national and online media.</p><p> </p><p>Since the beginning of January 2015 we have provided access to a range of media outlets, a few examples are listed below:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Guardian were given access to HMP New Hall - http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/30/new-hall-womens-prison-inmates-equals</li><li>BBC and the Sun were giving access to HMP Coldingley</li><li>Regional BBC were giving access to HMP Northumberland (Sodexo run prison)</li><li>Telegraph and Heart Radio were giving access to HMP Drake Hall</li><li>Evening Standard and regional BBC were giving access to HMP Thameside (Serco run prison)</li><li>BBC Radio 4 were giving access to HMP Prescoed/HMP Cardiff</li><li>Sky Sports were giving access to HMP Feltham</li><li>National BBC, regional ITV and the Manchester Evening News were giving access to HMP Styal</li><li>Evening Standard and London Live were giving access to HMP Isis</li><li>East Anglia Daily Times and regional BBC radio were giving access to HMP Hollesley Bay</li><li>Sky News were given access to HMP Ranby</li><li>ITV were given access to HMP Norwich</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Faulks grouped question UIN HL4942 question first answered 25/02/2015 17:02:12 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	4181 label Biography information for Lord Beecham

179232

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners: Suicide
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 26 January (HL4088), whether every prisoner identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm is automatically under the care planning system of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork process.
	tabling member printed	Lord Patten
	uin	HL4969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>All Prisons must have procedures in place to identify, manage and support prisoners who are at risk of suicide or self-harm harm and to reduce that risk.</p><p> </p><p>National policy requires that any prisoner identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm must be managed and supported using the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process. ACCT is a multi-disciplinary process, and each prisoner subject to it is managed by a team composed of a range of staff drawn from the prison and other organisations, such as healthcare and education providers.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 25/02/2015 17:06:04 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

179221

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prison Service
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether current staffing levels of HM Prison Service meet the standard complement.
	tabling member printed	Lord Rogan
	uin	HL4958
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Staffing levels have been reviewed prison by prison as part of a ‘benchmarking approach’. Benchmark staffing requirements for each establishment have been agreed with the unions and the NAO has commented that the wider strategy for the prison estate is the most coherent and comprehensive for many years. It delivers efficiencies while ensuring that public sector prisons operate safely, decently and securely Benchmarking optimises the skills of staff by introducing new ways of working and puts all prison officers in prisoner facing role.</p><p> </p><p>Benchmark staffing levels have been agreed in 85 public sector prisons. Amongst prison officers, the shortfall of staff in post against benchmarks for these establishments at 30 September 2014 was 4%.</p><p> </p><p>Staffing levels have improved, but there remains a geographical variation and detached duty has been used to manage temporary shortages in particular locations. Such measures are always needed in such a large, widely spread organisation.</p><p> </p><p>In addition HM Prison Service Reserve, consisting of former prison officers, has been established to support capacity changes and unplanned shortfalls in officer numbers.</p><p> </p><p>The Prison Service has been returning to large scale recruitment levels as the period of closures and benchmarking has been coming to an end. As well as prison officers, we are also recruiting Operational Support Grades (uniformed staff who undertake a wide range of security based work) and instructors (who manage prisoners in workshop activities and training).</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 25/02/2015 17:02:44 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	2478 label Biography information for Lord Rogan

179735

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2015
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Social Services: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Local Government Association’s assessment of the impact of spending reductions on the long-term financial sustainability of adult social care services.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
	uin	HL5012
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>Adult social care expenditure and the future demand for services will be reviewed as part of the Spending Review before decisions on future funding are made. The Department is aware of the work undertaken by the Local Government Association and will involve both them and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services in this process.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 25/02/2015 17:41:42 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

179250

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	IVF
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which European Union legislation they have considered in framing the proposed draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015; what view they have taken on the applicability of the European Union legislation; and what is the basis for their view.
	tabling member printed	Lord Patten
	uin	HL4987
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>As I said in the debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 on 24 February 2015 (columns 1570 and 1617-8) the Government is satisfied that the Regulations do not contravene any aspect of European Union law. It has carefully considered recent arguments relating to the Clinical Trials Directive (Directive 2001/20/EC) but is satisfied that the Directive is not relevant in this context as it relates to clinical trials of medicines.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 25/02/2015 15:10:51 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

179228

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Ministers
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is routine policy for the Cabinet Office to contact HM Revenue and Customs to consult it prior to the appointment of a non-elected Minister.
	tabling member printed	Lord Myners
	uin	HL4965
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.</p><p> </p><p>For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston grouped question UIN HL5022 question first answered 25/02/2015 16:09:09 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners

179745

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2015
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Ministers
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what due diligence is carried out and by whom before ministerial appointments are made.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL5022
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.</p><p> </p><p>For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston grouped question UIN HL4965 question first answered 25/02/2015 16:09:09 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

179762

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Burma
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Burma.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL5035
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>Burma remains a human rights Country of Concern for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and features in the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy report. A copy of the latest quarterly update to that report on Burma is attached, which highlights the humanitarian situation in Rakhine, continuing conflict and sexual violence in Kachin, political prisoners and restrictions on freedom of expression.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/02/2015 15:09:39 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns attachment 1 file name Burma HR Update Oct - Dec 2014.docx title Burma - update on human rights situation
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

179247

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2015
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Prisoners: HIV Infection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many new HIV diagnoses were made among prisoners in 2014 in England and Wales.
	tabling member printed	Lord Black of Brentwood
	uin	HL4984
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2015 answer text <p>Data for 2014 is not available until October 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Latest data from the national human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) surveillance system shows that in 2013, of 5,594 adults (aged 15 years old or above) newly diagnosed with HIV in England and Wales, nine were newly diagnosed with HIV at a prison service. An additional 210 patients living with a diagnosed HIV infection (diagnosed before 2013) were resident in prison.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Notes:</em></p><p> </p><p>The numbers are likely to be under-reported because prison status is not routinely collected. Prisoners were identified if the residential information provided related to a prison setting. Therefore the completeness and accuracy of the numbers depends on the clinicians’ reports. Furthermore, most prisoners have short custodial sentences and consequently may not be included in the national HIV surveillance system which collects information relating to a patients’ most recent attendance at an HIV service.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 25/02/2015 13:33:56 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	4171 label Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood