Clause 2 — Meaning of "relevant duty of care"
Orders of the Day
8:30 pm
Gerry Sutcliffe (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Bradford South, Labour)
We believe that that opportunity exists in terms of the recommendations that can be made with regard to the public sector, especially for prisons by the independent inspector of prisons. Listening to hon. Members this evening, one would think that lessons are never learned or that the Government and the Prison Service do not try to improve the situation.
There is a difference between what happens in a custodial situation and what happens in other areas. We believe that the requirements that we are making of the private sector bodies, such as the construction industry—in terms of their role as employers or occupiers—are the same that will be made of the Prison Service. We are being asked to go a step further in terms of the custodial position, and we do not accept that.