§ MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the increased number of receptions at Pentonville Prison has resulted in the overcrowding of that prison, and the removal therefrom of prisoners to country prisons necessitating the absence of many officers from Pentonville Prison.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThere has been a great increase in the number of receptions, but overcrowding has been prevented by the removal of prisoners to country prisons. The staff provided for the prison allows a reasonable margin of officers for escort duty.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of prisoners received at Pontonville Prison for the years ending March 31st, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906; and whether there has been any increase of the staff of Pentonville Prison.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe number of receptions has increased steadily from 12,314 in the year ending March 31st, 1901, to 18,746 in the year ending March 31st last, but this increase has been met by removals lo country prisons; and the increase in the population of the prison has been very slight. The daily average population in the year ending March 31st, 1901, was 1,059, and in the year ending March 31st last was 1,087, an increase of only twenty-eight prisoners. No increase of staff has been required.