§ SIR ROBERT FOWLER (London)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will put a stop to the practice which exists, contrary to the spirit of the Prison Act, of placing three prisoners in one cell, in consequence of which practice one prisoner was murdered about two years ago in Armley Gaol, Leeds, and which same custom called forth a public protest from Mr. Justice Hawkins, at the Derbyshire Assizes held this month, when it was stated in evidence that in Derby Gaol recently two prisoners had, for more than a week, been placed in the same cell with a man who had committed murder, and was insane?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.The case alluded to by my right hon. Friend as having occurred at Derby is now under investigation by an Inspector, who has been sent down specially to inquire into all the circumstances. The practice of placing prisoners in association when one of them is epileptic or requires supervision is expressly allowed by the Prison Act of 1865, which leaves it to the medical officer to determine the cases in which it is proper to resort to the system of association. The Orders of the Home Office have since 1884 provided that where a prisoner is insane he shall be under the personal supervision of officers or hired attendants, and not of other prisoners. The Prison Commissioners are informed by the medical officer of Derby Gaol that the man alluded to was not insane. This is one of the matters that the Inspector is inquiring into.