§ MR. HOPWOOD (Lancashire, S.E., Middleton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any regulations by which the state of health of prisoners committed for contempt of Court is brought to the notice of the committing Judge; and whether he will inquire if this has taken place in the case of George Read and Margaret Hogan, whose condition, as mentioned in the Medical Report in Return 134, under 28th February, 1893, is as to the former "senile debility," and as to the latter "senile debility, and is very weak-minded, and is much depressed at being detained here," i.e., in Holloway Gaol? "
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.Quarterly Reports are made to the Lord Chancellor or the official solicitor of the High Court, as the case may be, as to every prisoner committed for contempt of Court. Hitherto it has not been the practice to include in these Reports any information as to the prisoner's state of health, but I have given instructions that in future this shall be done. The Report which I have received as to George Read's health shows no special indication of mental weakness considering his advanced age, and he has required no regular medical treatment. His general health is nor, however, altogether satisfactory. Margaret Hogan has throughout her imprisonment been under constant medical care, and her condition has twice been considered such as to require her treatment in hospital. She is at present in a state of general debility, and her 434 mental powers are decidedly weaker than is usual in a person of her age. I have given instructions for these Reports to be forwarded to the Lord Chancellor and the official solicitor.