§ 24. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the suffering of prisoners in Winchester Civil Prison caused through insufficiency of food; whether he is aware that men are glad to eat the skins of potatoes, and even diseased, uncooked roots, which they have picked up in the grounds; that soldiers returned from the front to undergo sentences to periods of imprisonment for misdeeds have implored the governor to send them back to the trenches, so that they need not endure the suffering entailed upon them in prison; and whether he can announce a more humane treatment of prisoners?
§ Mr. BRACEI have made inquiry, and find that the food at this prison is sufficient in quantity and good in quality. Nothing has ever been heard of any prisoner eating potato skins or uncooked roots. No soldier from the front has complained of the prison food. I much regret that the hon. Member should attempt to give currency to such baseless allegations.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware of certain private facts that I have brought to his notice in this connection, and to which he has not yet given me an answer?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIs it not a well-known rule of this House that an hon. Member should make himself personally responsible for statements made by him, and should take the greatest care before he brings them forward in this House?
§ Mr. KINGOn that point, may I state that I brought to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman certain serious allegations more than a week ago, and that I understand he is inquiring into them? I gave him fair warning that I should putdown this question unless I got some answer.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI understand that he has inquired into the allegations, and finds there is no foundation for them.