§ 13. Mr. RICHARD LAMBERTasked the Home Secretary whether Paul Leo Gillan died in Winchester Prison on 16th March; whether the inquest showed the cause of death; whether the medical officer had already reported this case as one of acute heart disease; and whether the Home Office possesses and exercises the power to release from prison any prisoner whose continued detention is likely to have grave consequences?
§ Sir G. CAVEGillan was admitted to hospital on the 12th March but serious symptoms only developed on the 16th, the day of his death. The inquest showed that death was due to heart failure following on pleurisy. The medical officer had not previously reported the case, and there were no symptoms to show that the prisoner's heart was affected until the day on which he died. I have no reason to think that removal from prison during his illness would have been in any way beneficial to the prisoner.
§ Mr. BYRNEIs there any evidence to show that this man died as the result of ill-treatment, and was he ill-treated because he was an Irishman?
§ Sir G. CAVEThere is no evidence of any ill-treatment of any kind.
§ Mr. WHITEHOUSEHas the right hon. Gentleman made inquiries as to why the medical officer did not report the condition of this man's health?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe matter was thoroughly gone into at the inquest, and it appears that the medical officer had no reason to suspect serious illness until the actual day of the death.