Prisons

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 April 2001.

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Photo of Mr Paul Boateng Mr Paul Boateng Minister of State, Home Office, Minister of State (Home Office) 12:00, 9 April 2001

The right hon. Lady does not do justice to the seriousness of the issue by approaching it in this way. She knows that her Government introduced televisions into cells and that it is this Government, yes, who expanded the number of prisons with televisions in cells. We did that to ensure that prison governors and staff have a range of inducements and incentives to good behaviour, which are withdrawn if there is a failure in good behaviour. That makes a reality of discipline in prisons. We are not simply relying on cheap rhetoric as a substitute, which is precisely what she does time and time again.