§ MR. CLANCYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an application made on behalf of representatives of the Limerick Amnesty Association for permission to visit John Daly and other prisoners confined in Portland Convict Prison has been recently refused; and, if so, why?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.Yes, Sir. The reason for the refusal was that given to the secretary—namely, that the privilege of visiting those convicts accorded by me on the express undertaking by the visitors that it would not be used, for ulterior purposes, has been abused by the circulation in the Press and elsewhere of false statements as to the condition of the prisoners' health and as to their prison treatment.
§ *MR. CLANCYIs it not the fact that before the last visit paid to Daly by Mr. Frederick Allen, of Dublin, an intimation was given to the authorities that Mr. Allen intended to publish an account of the visit in the Press?
§ MR. ASQUITHI know nothing about that. Mr. Allen was allowed to visit Daly on the express understanding that he would not publish a report of the proceedings, and not make any use of the visit except to receive news from and communicate news to Daly.
§ *MR. CLANCYThe right hon. Gentleman has not taken any notice of the statement I made, that Mr. Allen announced that he intended to publish an account of the visit, and that he was allowed, notwithstanding, to visit the prison afterwards.
§ MR. ASQUITHNo such statement was made to me, otherwise Mr. Allen would never have been allowed to visit Daly.
§ MR. CLANCYSeeing that some of the prisoners have no relatives in Great Britain or Ireland, and that the only visits they are likely to have are from members of the Amnesty Association, will the right hon. Gentleman re-consider his decision with regard to those against whom no fault is to be found?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am extremely sorry that the prisoners should be deprived of such alleviation and comfort from the visits of outside persons, but the responsibility of the deprivation lies entirely with the persons who have violated the undertaking.
§ MR. CLANCYWill the right hon. Gentleman re-consider his decision with reference to those persons against whom he has no fault whatever to find?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; as at present advised, I cannot.