§ SIR F. S. POWELL (Wigan)In the absence of the hon. and learned Member for the Isle of Wight, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that many cases occur in which convicts upon their discharge from prison become chargeable to the poor rates of the parish or union in which such prison is situated; what is the practice followed with respect to the place of discharge of convicted prisoners, and what are the Rules upon which such practice is based; and whether, having regard to the extra burden cast upon the particular parish in the cases mentioned, he will consider the advisability of providing for the return of prisoners, upon their discharge, to the locality to which they are properly chargeable, or to the parish or union in which they were when committed for trial?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am informed that the cases where convicts upon their discharge from prison become chargeable to the poor rates of the parish or union in which such prison is situated are comparatively few in number, and I may point out to my hon. and learned Friend that the Government pay a contribution in lieu of rates for the prison, so that the 884 burden is not so great as it otherwise might appear. The practice followed with respect to the place of discharge of convicted prisoners is determined by Rules prescribed by the Secretary of State in August, 1883, of which I shall be happy to let the hon. Member have a copy. He will find that those Rules deal with the considerations involved in the third paragraph of his question.