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<p /> <p /> <p>There are important reasons why we have restricted the sending in of
parcels by families and friends of prisoners and we do not intend to withdraw those
restrictions. The changes we introduced last year in relation to parcels were to ensure
consistency across the estate and to make sure that security can be maintained. 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><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.<em> </em></p>
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