§ MR. T. B. CURRAN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Deartment, in reference to the supply of newspapers to prisoners awaiting trial, whether he is aware that a copy of Reynolds's Newspaper sent to a man named Michael Barry, awaiting trial in Her Majesty's Prison, Winchester, was sent back to his father at Aldershot, marked "not allowed;" whether the Home Office pointed out to the Governor his mistake in limiting the number of newspapers supplied to Barry to one per week; and whether steps will be taken to prevent in the future any such censorship of the Press in Her Majesty's prisons?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am informed by the Governor of the prison that Reynolds's Newspaper has never been allowed to be received in Winchester Prison by prisoners awaiting trial. Michael Barry was so informed soon after his admission and directed to inform his friends to that effect. The Governor was informed by the Prison Commissioners that there is no reason why Reynolds's Newspaper should not be received by trial prisoners, and no order to limit the number of newspapers to one a week. The supply of books and newspapers to prisoners awaiting trial is a matter left to the 1268 discretion of the Visiting Committee of the prison, and the Secretary of State would be unwilling to interfere in any way with the discretion of the local authorities in this matter.