Alex Cunningham
Main Page: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)Department Debates - View all Alex Cunningham's debates with the Ministry of Justice
Transpeople (Prisons)
Alex Cunningham Excerpts(8 years, 11 months ago)
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Andrew Selous
We are increasing the length of prison officer training, and we have embedded our equalities duties at the heart of what we do. During the time for which I have been prisons Minister—a little over a year—I have been hugely impressed by the essential decency of everyone in the National Offender Management Service, which runs throughout the heart of the organisation.
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)
Frances Crook, the chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, has warned that
“both men and women transgender people in prison need expert and sensitive support in order to ensure that they can access the full regime and remain safe. Their identity should be accorded proper respect.”
What is the Minister’s Department doing to provide even greater support for transgender people in prison, and to fulfil those needs?
Andrew Selous
I know Frances Crook well, and I listen to what she says. We try very hard to provide appropriate and decent care for every prisoner. We are reviewing the policy, but, as I said earlier, we are prepared to learn. We want to get this right, and we will take on board all that Members have said today.