Rights Of Prison Officers

EDM number 1553 in 2006-07, proposed by Frank Cook on 23/05/2007.

That this House reaffirms its strong support for the measures introduced by the Government that will outlaw the smoking of tobacco in public locations and workplaces throughout England and Wales from 1st July 2007; registers dismay at the current determination that there should be an exemption for prisoners that would allow them to smoke in their cells and request a smoking or non-smoking cell; is concerned that such a proposition is not only totally impractical in the circumstances prevalent in custodial establishments at this time but is also potentially injurious to prison staff due to the insidious consequences of passive smoking in overcrowded and under-resourced gaols; expresses serious disagreement with a trend that will afford an inmate under sentence more rights and liberties than are available to prison officers; is of the view that if an individual has transgressed to a degree that attracts a custodial sentence that individual should forfeit any freedom to inflict any form of injurious habit upon themselves, their neighbours or their keepers; and urges the Government to take action to ensure that all prison staff are guaranteed the same levels of protection available to every other worker in Wales and England from 1st July.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.