Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 7 April 2010.
Andrew Pelling
Independent, Croydon Central
11:30,
7 April 2010
What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on levels of contraband in immigration removal centres in Scotland.
Ann McKechin
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State has had no recent meetings to discuss levels of contraband in the immigration removal centre in Scotland.
Andrew Pelling
Independent, Croydon Central
Given that contraband is being sent into Her Majesty's prison in Edinburgh by the use of crossbows, what is the danger of that happening in the immigration centre? Why do Scottish people use crossbows rather than English longbows?
Ann McKechin
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The management of prisons in Scotland is, of course, a matter for the Scottish Government's Ministry of Justice. We have policies and procedures in place to prevent contraband from coming into removal centres, but we would not comment on the details because that might compromise the safety of the centre.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
