§ MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to visits to the treason felony prisoners in Portland Convict Establishment, whether, if an application for permission to visit those prisoners be renewed by the London Amnesty Association, and if an undertaking be given by or on behalf of the persons for whom the permission is sought that the Prison Regulations as to visits of this character will be strictly observed, he will now consider it favourably, in view of the fact that the prisoners referred to will otherwise be deprived altogether of the privilege of visits which they are admitted to have earned by their good conduct?
§ MR. ASQUITHAs I stated yesterday, I am anxious that these prisoners should not be deprived of the privilege ofreceiving visits. If the names of the intending visitors submitted to me are those of responsible persons, who will give such an undertaking as the hon. Member suggests, and if the prisoners are willing to receive them, I shall be prepared favourably to consider the application.
§ MR. J. REDMOND (Waterford)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider the desirability of informing the London Amnesty Association of the precise matters of which he had had to complain; and also if he would instruct the prison officials to inform visitors, when a visit took place, of the Prison Regulations, so that they might know what they had to do?
§ MR. ASQUITHI do not think that any complaint was made in regard to the Association referred to—it was made in the case of some other Body. The suggestion made in the latter part of the 332 hon. Gentleman's remarks appears to me to be a reasonable way of dealing with the matter.