PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Prisoners: Pregnancy (15 October 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has made to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the (a) health and wellbeing of pregnant women in prison, (b) need to treat all pregnancies in prison as high risk and (c) adequacy of the model of maternity care in prisons.

Asked by:
Feryal Clark (Labour)

Women in prison should have access to the same range and quality of healthcare services compared to that which they would find in the community, including midwifery, obstetric and health visiting services. These services are commissioned by NHS England & NHS Improvement. The role of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is to work in partnership with local healthcare providers to secure access to these services.

HMPPS undertook extensive consultation with the health sector during the recent review of policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to the age of two in women’s prisons. The new policy was published on 20 September.

I am due to meet with the Minister of State for Care and Mental Health (DHSC) in the coming week to discuss our ongoing partnership approach to care for pregnant women in prison.

For information on clinical provisions for pregnant women in prison, please refer to the DHSC, the responsible department.

Answered by:
Victoria Atkins (Conservative)
25 October 2021