Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons in England and Wales have body scanners installed; and whether his Department plans to introduce body scanners in further prisons.

We are taking urgent and decisive action to stop contraband, such as drugs and mobile telephones, from entering our prisons. These items pose a significant threat to safety and security.

X-ray body scanners allow prison staff to detect items hidden inside prisoners’ bodies. The following prisons in England and Wales already have such body scanners installed: HMP Altcourse, Belmarsh, Doncaster, Forest Bank, Holme House, Leeds, Northumberland and Peterborough.

As part of the Government’s £70 million investment in safety, security and decency, we have commenced an installation programme in a number of additional prisons, including the 10 Prisons Project and the long-term and high security estate. These are some of our most challenging prisons and are more likely to face attempts by prisoners to hide contraband inside their bodies in light of other security measures already in place.

We will consider whether to introduce additional X-ray body scanners once they have been installed and used in the 10 Prisons Project and long-term and high security estate. In the meantime, we are going out to tender for a new contract that will give the Prison Service the means to purchase further scanners in future.