To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A women prisoners there were in Her Majesty's prison, Durham, in February and March, respectively; and how many strip searches were made on these prisoners in that month, indicating strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, after visits and after cell changes, wing searches and cell searches, and listing reasons why the searches were carried out and any illegal contraband or smuggled items found.

During February and March, there were three category A women prisoners in Durham prison. The number of occasions on which each was strip searched during each month is shown in the table:

	Inmate A		Inmate B		Inmate C
	February	March	February	March	February	March
At the time of cell change wing and cell searches	1	1	1	1	1	1
Other	—	—	—	—	—	2

No unauthorised article was found on any of the three women. I set out the reasons for such searches in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 15 January at column 446.