a wide range of repercussions that this change has had on their detention conditions: early locking of their cell doors, reduction in showering time, impossibility of eating meals together with other prisoners, smaller and often unequal portions, often dubious hygiene conditions in the serving of the food. Concomitantly, they reported that it is no longer possible to buy meat from the canteen. The Chief Inspector contacted the institution management about this situation. In response, the Director explained that the new method for distributing meals was introduced following the change in the delegated management contract which entered into force in January 2016. He clarified that meal times had to be reorganised for the sake of security; in order to distribute meals in a secure context, the cells are all locked by warders and then opened two by two to allow the prisoners to go to the counter where the food is served. He also explained that the portions served are exactly the same as those under the previous contract, but that the serving in a plate looks different from tray servings – which comes across as more copious. He admitted that a few one-off difficulties had arisen when the assistants were filling the containers, but that instructions are given out at regular intervals in this regard. As for the removal of fresh meat from the canteen catalogue, the Director said that this was on the recommendation of the veterinary services, insofar as the requisite storage conditions could not be guaranteed when taken to prisoners' cells. Upon receiving additional requests, the Director stressed that several pre -consultative committees for prisoners have met to discuss the new method for distributing meals, and that three assistants had taken part. No particular problems emerged out of these meetings in terms of the amount of food served or the subject of doors being locked. He did specify, however, that this issue has not been raised by his services or the private service provider, despite the Chief Inspector's referral. He went on to explain that the reticence initially sparked by a change in habits has disappeared, that this case is still be monitored on a daily basis so as to improve this service, and that the menus now served taste much better – something which all of the prisoners are in agreement about. Having recently received yet another referral concerning this matter, the Chief Inspector is remaining particularly vigilant over changes in methods for distributing food across all prisons. 3.5 Communication to prisoners of information in their medical record A case was referred to the Chief Inspector concerning the difficulties that a prisoner in a Detention centre for illegal immigrants had encountered to obtain communication of information in his medical record – particularly the opinion of the physician from the Regional Health Agency (ARS), in the context of the implementation of the provisions of Article L.511-4, Point 10, of the Code for Entry and Residence of Foreigners and Right of Asylum (CESEDA). In the terms of this Article, it is not possible for an obligation to leave French soil to be imposed on " the foreign national whose usual residence is in France and whose health requires medical care – without which the consequences for the latter could be exceptionally serious – unless he or she has the real possibility of benefiting from appropriate treatment in the country of return". When questioned about this situation, the physician at the detention centre for illegal immigrants medical unit (UMCRA) mentioned a memo from the prefecture urging medical personnel not to forward certificates to their detained patients. He did point out, however, that this memo had not been acted upon. He attached to his reply a UMCRA internal memo particularly indicating that there was nothing in the medical ethics code to prevent a physician from transcribing his observations and sharing them with his patient. The competent ARS said that a procedure made up of a standard letter had been established to process medical record communication requests. The ARS maintained that because the 82