§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any Report as to the punishment of the women suffragists now in prison for alleged breach of prison regulations; and if he can state the nature of the alleged insubordination and the punishments inflicted?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. H. Gladstone)Fourteen women suffragists were brought before the Visiting Committee on the 14th instant, 13 for misconduct on reception in refusing to change into prison clothing, to give up private property, or to be medically examined, and for wilfully breaking prison windows; and the remaining one for the like offences excepting refusal to be medically examined. They all admitted the offences, and declined either to express regret or to promise amendment. They were sentenced to "close confinement" for the following periods:— Two for 10 days, two for eight days, and 10 for seven days. Some of them have subsequently been guilty of other offences, namely, kicking and biting the female warders, throwing their food out of the cell windows, which were not dealt with while the prisoners were undergoing the punishments I have mentioned. I must add that most of these prisoners have obstinately refused to take any food for several days, and that I have had, on medical grounds, to discharge six of them, and anticipate that several others will be discharged on the same ground to-day or to-morrow.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can say for what period of time any of these ladies were deprived of exercise, how long they were kept in the cells without any exer- 508 cise or fresh air, and what is the size of the cells?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe cells are of precisely the same dimensions as the other cells, the chief difference being that the windows are unbreakable. [Laughter.]
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDThis is not a laughing matter at all.
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI quite agree that this is not a subject for laughter. As regards the question of the hon. Member, I cannot at the present moment give a precise answer. It is quite obvious that when prisoners refuse food they are hardly fit subjects to take exorcise outside.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDCan the right hon. Gentleman give some undertaking that, if punishment is to be meted out for breach of prison regulations, it shall not take the form of deprivation of exercise and fresh air, and confinement for long periods in small cells?
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEWill the Home Secretary say whether the cells in which the prisoners have been confined are underground and in an insanitary condition?
§ Mr. GLADSTONENo, Sir; they are not underground. It is quite obvious, and I am sure the hon. Member will agree, that no prisoners would be confined in cells underground. The statement that they are underground is a complete fabrication. The cells are on the ground floor of the prison, and before the prisoners were put into them they were carefully examined. They were quite dry, perfectly well ventilated, and, as I stated, they are of the same dimensions as other cells, and similar in almost every respect, except as regards the windows.
§ Mr. SNOWDENTo what class were these prisoners committed—first, second or third?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe second class.
§ Mr. SNOWDENWas the breaking of the cell windows committed at the time of admission to the prison, which is what I gathered from the right hon. Gentleman's reply, or was the breaking of the windows committed after the prisoners were confined in the cells?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEI am under the impression that the breaking of the windows, I followed the admission.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has had his share of supplementary questions.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. I beg to give notice that I shall call attention to the treatment of the prisoners, which is disgraceful—perfectly disgraceful.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI must ask the hon. Gentleman to behave in a seemly way at Question-time.