SUPPORTING PRISONERS' FAMILIES CAMPAIGN

That this House notes that prisoners who receive visits from their family are significantly less likely to re-offend, three times more likely to have accommodation on release and twice as likely to gain employment on release; further notes seven per cent. of children in their school years will experience their father's imprisonment and about 160,000 children a year have a parent sent to custody; is disturbed that no reliable information is collected on the children of prisoners and that there is no clear statutory responsibility for supporting prisoners' families and children; and calls on the Government to support the Agenda for Action produced by Action for Prisoners' Families, Clinks, Prison Advice and Care Trust and the Prison Reform Trust calling for the Inter-Ministerial Group on Reducing Re-offending to commit to developing policy and practice to address the needs of children and families with a parent or close relative in prison.