§ MR. W. H. JAMES (Gateshead)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether any Report as to the effect of the remission of hard labour to the exclusion of any other form of employment in cases of imprisonment under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act has within the last 12 months been made by any of the medical or other officials of Her Majesty's prisons in Ireland?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The General Prisons Board inform me that no convicted criminal prisoner in Ireland, whether sentenced to hard labour or not, is unemployed, except on medical grounds, the Board being required by the 47th section of 40 & 41 Vict. c. 49, to find employment for prisoners not sentenced to hard labour.
§ MR. W. H. JAMESCan the right hon. Gentleman say what is the nature of the employment?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am not very intimately acquainted with the Prison Rules; but I suppose the same Rule obtains in Ireland as in England in the matter.
§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)Is it not a fact that prisoners not sentenced to bard labour have to break stones and pick oakum, the same as ordinary prisoners?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have just called attention to the fact that the Prisons Board have to find employment for all prisoners.
§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, does he not think he ought to acquaint himself with the Prison Rules?
§ [No reply.]
§ MR. W. H. JAMESI beg to give Notice that I will ask the right hon. Gentleman a further Question on the subject.