ACTION FOR PRISONERS FAMILIES AND 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF HELPLINE

Early day motion 931, tabled 29 March 2004 by Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 54 members.

That this House commends the work of Action for Prisoners' Families, the national charity dedicated to supporting prisoners' families, providing them with vital information to help them cope with the trauma of dealing with the imprisonment of a loved one; celebrates the first anniversary of the charity's helpline, which has received over 5,500 calls in its first year, congratulates the publication of The Outsiders, a new series of survival guides for families of prisoners; notes the massive increase in the prison population, now at a record 75,000, which affects ever more families and children who often suffer in silence, feel guilty by association and are isolated and confused by the criminal justice system; welcomes calls for fewer women to be given custodial sentences which separate 17,000 children from their mothers; and calls on the Government and new National Offender Management Service to take account of the needs of children and families affected by imprisonment through the provision of more information by placing prisoners closer to home and encouraging the use of more community service sentences.

Signatures by party: Labour 26, Liberal Democrat 24, Conservative 2, Plaid Cymru 2.