§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can state how much of the Supplementary Estimate for Prisons is caused by the increased number of military prisoners in civil prisons; and whether he can give the number of military prisoners detained in civil prisons on the 1st of January, 1899, 1900, 1901, and 1902, respectively.
§ * MR. RITCHIEIt is not possible to say precisely what was the extra charge accruing for the maintenance of military prisoners detained in civil prisons during the year. Like other prisoners they are 1250 a charge on the ordinary Civil Vote, and no separate account is kept of their cost of maintenance. The number of military prisoners in civil custody in January of the four years mentioned was, respectively, 354, 376, 792, and 774.
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSEIs there any charge for this on the Supplementary Estimate?
§ * MR. RITCHIECertainly.