§ Mr. HUGH LAWasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the recent death in Portsmouth prison of John Pattle; whether this man's death was due, according to the coroner's verdict, to heart disease; whether he had been twice forcibly fed; and whether he had been medically examined before forcible feeding was authorised?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy attention had not been previously called to this case. On inquiry I find that the prisoner was committed on remand on a charge of attempting suicide—his second attempt. He appears to have been of unsound mind and could not be persuaded to take food. Food had therefore to be administered by force. His heart was tested first, but artificial feeding was in this case the only alternative to allowing him to commit suicide. According to the medical evidence death was due to heart disease and not in any way to forcible feeding, which probably prolonged his life. The coroner's jury expressed the opinion that he had received every consideration at the hands of the prison officials.
§ Mr. HUGH LAWasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the inquiry held on 8th March by the Salford coroner into the death of Mary Pilsbury, in which a verdict of suicide was returned; whether the girl had just been released from prison; whether she had been forcibly fed whilst in prison; whether she left a note saying that this had been her first experience of this treatment and would be her last; and whether he proposed to take any steps with regard to the 1874 regulations for forcible feeding of prisoners?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy attention has not been called otherwise than by the hon. Member's question to the inquest held on Mary Pilsbury, but I find on inquiry that it was found necessary to administer food by force to this girl on three occasions when she was serving a sentence of one month's imprisonment last July, and on three occasions again during another term, of imprisonment last November. She was received in prison again on 10th January last, and compulsion had to be used again for thirteen days; but from 26th January till her discharge on 5th March she took food naturally. She never made any threat of suicide while in prison, and I believe her suicide was due to circumstances quite unconnected with her imprisonment. The House is familiar with the arguments upon the general question of the forcible feeding of prisoners who refuse to take food voluntarily, and they do not appear to me to be affected in any way by this case.
§ Mr. HUGH LAWDo not the facts in these two cases and others give grounds for thinking that it would be desirable to have an inquiry into the whole question of forcible feeding in prisons, without any reference to the Suffragette movement?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not think the hon. Gentleman ought to ask as to an inquiry without notice. If he puts down a question I will give my best attention toit, but I do not think I shall be able to grant an inquiry.