§ MR. CLAUDE HAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Report on Prisons (England and Wales) for the year ending March 31st, 1905, was circulated on October 20th, 1905; and whether he will take steps to ensure that in future the Report on Prisons (England and Wales) shall be circulated sooner than seven months after the period with which it deals.
§ * MR. GLADSTONEHaving regard to the great number of returns included in the Report, which cannot be made up till the conclusion of the year under report, and to the necessity for careful check and tabulation after receipt, and to subsequent delays which are incidental to the printing and reviewing, I am not able to give any pledge that presentation can take place at an earlier period, though every effort will be made by those concerned to expedite the publication.