REVIEW OF STRIP SEARCHING IN PRISONS

Early day motion 260, tabled 16 July 1997 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 27 members.

That this House welcomes the review currently being undertaken by the Prison Service into strip searching policy; is alarmed by the evidence highlighting the short-term suffering and long-term problems experienced by victims of strip searching; believes that this evidence should be carefully weighed against the uncertain merits of strip searching as against rub-down searches and searches with metal detectors; rejects the necessity for strip searching prisoners on inter prison visits and at remand hearings when they are at all times accompanied by prison officers; is appalled by allegations that strip searching is used to intimidate and harass particular minority groups in custody, such as ethnic minorities, Irish women and homosexuals; urges the immediate introduction of measures to record and monitor all incidences of strip searching and the frequency of detection of illicit articles; calls for stricter regulation of random strip searching in prisons; and recommends that policy developments in this sphere should give close consideration to technological advances in surveillance equipment and electronic metal detectors.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Labour/Co-operative 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Scottish National Party 1.