§ MR. S. SMITH (Flintshire)asked the Secretary of State to the Home Department, Whether it is correctly reported that in a Report from one of the Inspectors of Prisons there occurs the following description regarding the want of accommodation for prisoners awaiting trial at the Manchester City Court:—
In one of these rooms I saw 37 men huddled together, some sitting, others standing or leaning against the iron bars, looking out, talking and muttering words to one another that sounded very like oaths. In the middle of this crowd was a soldier in uniform, standing as far from the others as he could. In the women's room there were 18 associated. As many as 40 or 50 men, and from 20 to 30 women, occupy these rooms at a time;and, whether any steps have been taken to remedy this state of things?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.), in reply, said, the Report was correctly quoted. Soon after the Report was made he placed himself in communication with the Mayor of Manchester, and plans prepared by the city serveyor were now under the consideration of the authorities. He had further written to the Mayor suggesting that, pending the completion of the alterations, every endeavour should be made to remedy, by careful management, the state of things to which attention had been drawn.