The most dangerous terrorist prisoners in England and Wales are housed in “Supermax-style units” similar to those used in US prisons, David Lammy Told the MPs.
The deputy prime minister said he would consider legislation to prevent prisoners from using human rights laws to challenge harsh prison conditions.
Jonathan Hall KC, an independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, was appointed to conduct a review of segregation units in May. He published the report on Tuesday.
Lammy said he fully agrees with Hall’s 13 recommendations.
They include:
Creating a new tiered separation center system with the most dangerous terrorists facing tough conditions. As reported in the Guardian Last month, Hall recommended that privileges could be earned or stripped based on closely monitored criteria of behavior.
Consideration of whether new legislation is needed to protect decisions made by experienced staff in separation centers from human rights law. Hall writes that prisoners have been able to use Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to challenge conditions in segregation centres. “In my view, the government should take steps to limit the application of Article 8,” he said.
Expert-led review of staff training.
Further improve intelligence gathering practices to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
Separation centers, special sections of prisons to house Islamist extremists, will be transformed with a new tiered system, Lamy said.
Prisons that currently have centers are HMP Full Sutton near York, HMP Frankland in County Durham and HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.
Lammy said: “Mr Hall recognizes a clear need to change the way segregation centers are run and managed. That’s why in the next spending review we will explore all available options to overhaul the system, including the creation of new robust supermax-style units for the most violent, disruptive prisoners.
“It will be a tiered system, with movement between tiers allowed following rigorous new risk assessments.
“We will start designing this system immediately.”
After the High Court ruled that a convicted terrorist had his human rights breached by being kept away from other prisoners, Lammy said he would consider whether legislation was needed to “protect the decisions made by experienced staff in segregation centres”.
“We will also consider whether new legislation is needed to protect decisions made by experienced staff in separation centers from being reduced on the basis of Article 8, adhering to our obligations under the ECHR, exploring a full range of options to provide this while it is clear,” he said.
The shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, said the UK must withdraw from the ECHR to stop using prisoners to “escape separation centres”.
