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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 23 Apr 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"During an earlier answer, my hon. Friend the Prisons Minister mentioned the roll-out of PAVA spray. When will it be completed?..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

View all Gordon Henderson (Con - Sittingbourne and Sheppey) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 05 Feb 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"24. What progress the Government have made on improving the safety of prison officers. ..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 05 Feb 2019
Oral Answers to Questions

"A week before Christmas, one of my local prison officers, Ashley McLean, received horrendous facial injuries when he was violently attacked by a prisoner who was allegedly high on Spice. This was not an isolated incident. It happens every day of every week in one or other of our prisons. …..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 04 Sep 2018
HMP Birmingham

"Paul Newton is an excellent governor. He was transferred from Swaleside prison, in my constituency—a prison that has its own problems. What assurances can the Minister give me that the transfer of Mr Newton will not be detrimental to my local prison?..."
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Written Question
Prisons: Restraint Equipment
Wednesday 20th June 2018

Asked by: Gordon Henderson (Conservative - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for rolling out (a) Pava pepper spray and (b) rigid police-style handcuffs across the prison estate.

Answered by Rory Stewart

Our hardworking prison officers must have the tools to do their jobs and that’s why we’re rolling out body worn cameras, ‘police-style’ restraints, and trialling pepper spray. We keep a close eye on the threats officers face to make sure they have what they need.

We are currently piloting PAVA Spray, this will inform any decision on the further issue of PAVA to prison officers.

Rigid Bar Handcuffs will be issued to prisons to replace the current ratchet cuffs. This will happen over 18 – 36 months in order to ensure staff are fully trained on how to use them.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 05 Jun 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"I, too, am delighted by the Minister’s announcement. Can he give us any indication of how long it is likely to take to get the scheme up and running?..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 May 2018
Prison Officers: Working Conditions

"I beg to move,

That this House has considered the working conditions of prison officers.

Before I begin, I should explain that I have three prisons in my constituency, and I have raised regularly in this House issues that concern people working in them. As I have done on many …..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 May 2018
Prison Officers: Working Conditions

"I welcome that intervention, and I will talk about that issue later in my speech.

I met my local police chief inspector, who happens to be a very small woman, and she said that, without PAVA, she would not be able to do her job on the beat. Between November …..."
Gordon Henderson - View Speech

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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 May 2018
Prison Officers: Working Conditions

"I certainly agree with that, but the problem is, what happens when the administrative jobs run out? What do we do with them then? I think there is another solution. Police officers and firefighters have dangerous and physical jobs, which is why they are allowed to retire early. Prison officers, …..."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 May 2018
Prison Officers: Working Conditions

"Yes and yes. That is just another example of the way in which those in the Prison Service—prison officers in particular but also other prison staff—are treated as second-class citizens of the public service. It is time for us to treat them in exactly the same way as police officers …..."
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