Alongside the weighty issue of treating prisoners with fairness and dignity the more basic matter of what they get to eat is also being considered by PACE implementation manager Mark Crampton.

Those who find themselves spending time in the cells at the moment get to choose what they'd like to eat from Hamilton's array of food outlets. However, Mr. Crampton is looking at replacing this practice with a choice of 'ambient meals' ? pre-packaged dishes that don't need to be refrigerated ? and has a pile of samples including chicken casserole in his office at Prospect.

"There's a choice of 20 varieties," he said. "At the moment, officers ask the detained person what they would like to eat and have to go out and buy it from a restaurant or takeaway. Ambient meals have been cost effective in the UK."

However, there is a get-out clause for those who don't fancy any of the 'ambient meal' choices on offer and decide they'd rather have a fish sandwich or a curry. "Under PACE they can have a the food of their choice, but that's at their own expense," explained Mr. Crampton.