Prisons: In-cell Sanitation

Lord Anderson of Swansea Excerpts

Tuesday 12th October 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord McNally]

It is true, as my noble friend said, that Grendon has a particular and very challenging regime—it is a therapeutic prison. It is perhaps surprising that it should be a prison that does not have in-cell facilities. However, the question is whether we keep the real benefits, which I think my noble friend would acknowledge, of what goes on there in the therapeutic approach to prison for some very difficult prisoners. The toiletry situation is a problem, but it is managed by the electronic locking system. On balance, I would prefer to keep the success of Grendon as a therapeutic prison, even with the downside of the lack of in-cell facilities.

[Lord Anderson of Swansea]

Are women’s prisons completely free of this uncivilised practice?

[Lord McNally]

Yes, my Lords.