HC Deb 02 May 1882 vol 268 c1942
MR. BROADHURST

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to an article in the May number of the "Herald of Health," giving a description of the condition of prison life in the Tothill Fields Prison for women, in which very grave charges are made as to the insufficiency of clean linen, both in respect to wearing apparel and bedding, also the bad light and bad ventilation of the cells and to the want of more sanitary conveniences and to the occasional bad condition of those at present provided; and, whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the truth or otherwise of the charges in question; and, if they are found to be true, whether he will order the prison authorities to make better arrangements for the cleanliness of the inmates of that prison?

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT,

in reply, said, he had caused inquiries to be made into the case, and the reports of the Medical Officer and the Lady Superintendent satisfied him that the charges were not well founded.