Letter: Deaths in prison

Sir: Ian Burrell's article "Lessons not learnt and deaths continue" of 2 May, refers to the claim by Deborah Coles of Inquest that there is insufficient accountability for those deemed to be responsible for deaths in custody and that lessons are not learned from these tragic incidents.

I take each death which occurs in Prison Service custody very seriously. We investigate each death to find out what happened and to establish whether there are lessons to be learned. In addition, the police carry out a thorough investigation if they consider that there are suspicious circumstances. Where the Prison Service investigation uncovers serious deficiencies, disciplinary action will be taken.

I am aware of the need for public confidence in our internal investigations and of the crucial need for bereaved relatives to find out the facts. I am pleased to say that, following criticism by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, we routinely disclose our investigation reports to prisoners' families prior to the inquest.

This greater openness enables the Prison Service to demonstrate publicly where lessons need to be learned. I welcome this greater accountability.

MARTIN NAREY

Director General

HM Prison Service

London SW1

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