Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support provided by HM Prison Service for the welfare of (a) Qesser Zuhrah, (b) Amy Gardiner-Gibson, (c) Jon Cink, (d) Heba Muraisi, (e) Teuta Hoxha, (f) Kamran Ahmed, (g) Muhammad Umer Khalid and (h) Lewie Chiaramellob during their hunger strike.

The safety and wellbeing of those held in our prisons is of vital importance. Healthcare in prisons is the responsibility of the NHS: Prison Service staff work with healthcare partners to ensure that those held in prison have access to the same quality and range of services as the general public receives from the NHS, as required by the Prison Rules 1999.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has well-established and effective procedures in place for managing prisoners who refuse food, and these are being followed in the case of those of the named prisoners who are currently refusing food, with appropriate medical assessment and support in place.

When a prisoner refuses food, prison staff will act immediately in accordance with the Prison Safety Policy Framework. This includes notifying healthcare professionals and conducting regular welfare checks. The Framework also provides for close monitoring of the person’s health by healthcare staff. Additionally, prison chaplaincy teams are available to provide pastoral care.