§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSONI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether the practice of detailing warders for escort duty from Barlinnie Prison to Perth late in the afternoon still continues; at what hour the escort on 3rd June returned to Barlinnie; and at what hour they went on duty again.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL, Yorkshire, Cleveland)My right hon. friend has asked me to answer for him. During the past twelve months three escorts, owing to sudden influx of prisoners, were carried out late in the afternoon. The 3rd June was one of these occasions, and the warders did not return to Barlinnie until 1 a.m. next day. They, however, took duty three hours later than usual on that day, i.e., at 9 a.m. The Prison Commissioners are endeavouring to discontinue these late removals altogether.