Controversy over pregnant prisoners

Prison Inspector: Don't Jail Pregnant Women

Speaking on the Today programme, Sir David said a prison was not the right place to bring up children.

He said he was particularly unhappy if pregnant women were being imprisoned for non-violent crimes.

Sir David: Pregnant prisoners "hardly a great risk" to society

Prisons Minister, Joyce Quinn

Quinn: Need to consider the public

"I don't think prison is the right place anyway to have them because they're confined conditions, they don't have as much access to open air as I wouldlike," said Sir David.

Prisons were "a pretty restrictive environment in which to conduct the first period of a child's life - quite apart from inevitable problems of looking after the mother in the immediate aftermath" of giving birth.

"Personally, what I think is that one has got to be very careful in deciding whether these women actually need to be prison anyway. They're hardly likely to constitute a great risk to the public if they're released," he added.

Currently there are about 2 500 women in jails in England and Wales, some of whom are expecting children.

Ann Widdecombe

Widdecombe: No "blanket exceptions"

The former prisons minister of the Conservative government, Ann Widdecombe, however warned that allowing special treatment for pregnant prisoners could be abused.

She said she couldn't see any reason to give a "blanket exception to any woman, no matter what she's done [...} just because she is pregnant."

"I think anybody can work out that that would very quickly be abused," she said.

Last year there was a public outcry over the case of a pregnant prisoner who was handcuffed while receiving treatment in a hospital.

This led to a change of rules so that a pregnant prisoner would be released from handcuffs as soon as she arrived at hospital.