BOOKS FOR PRISONERS

Early day motion 1263, tabled 3 April 2014 by Ian Swales (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 38 members.

That this House is deeply concerned by the ban on all prisoners receiving books as gifts under the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme which will have a detrimental effect on prisoner rehabilitation; notes that the ban has been opposed by eminent writers including Mark Haddon, Philip Pullman and Carol Ann Duffy; further notes that to deny prisoners the books they need in order to improve their skills and support their learning is both unreasonable and counter-productive given that reading goes hand-in-hand with education, rehabilitation and humanity; and urges the Government to reverse the ban as soon as possible by exempting books from the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme.

Signatures by party: Labour 17, Liberal Democrat 8, DUP 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Independent 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Alliance 1, Conservative 1, Green 1.