§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, pending the investigation into the rules observed in Irish prisons, he will use his influence with the Lord Lieutenant to induce him to issue a Prisons Order in Council to suspend the rules which require that a prisoner having himself clean clothes and being a cleanly person should be clothed in prison dress and have his hair cut, and his beard (if any) shaved off; to allow prisoners to be furnished with books; to provide prisoners who are accustomed to a generous diet with such additions to the prison dietary as may be advantageous to their health; and to separate those who are imprisoned for offences, the motive of which was political rather than personal, from hardened and habitual criminals?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member's Question refers to more than one kind of modification of existing prison rules. He desires, in the first place, to make prison more comfortable; in the second place, to draw a distinction between prisoners according to the motives which have actuated them; and in the third place, to carry out certain, alterations which I myself suggested on Wednesday last. As the object of all imprisonment is to deter offenders, I do not see that there is any adequate grounds for adopting the first of his proposals. As regards the second, I believe all efforts at classifying prisoners according to the motives of their offences have hitherto proved ineffectual, and I certainly cannot embark upon any undertaking of the kind, except under the advice of competent authorities. As regards the third suggestion, however, I am considering whether it would be expedient to advise the Lord Lieutenant to carry out, without unnecessary delay, the ideas which I laid before the House the day before yesterday.
§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)Does the right hon. Gentleman wish the House to understand that the provisions of the Prisons' Act of 1877, classifying prisoners according to their offences have proved ineffectual?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, I made no comment as to whether they were right or wrong. I intended to indicate that the elaborate classification according to motive has hitherto proved impossible to carry out.