77. Captain BENNasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to a statement by Mr. Pope, magistrate to the North London Police Court, on the 20th February, that it was a Regulation now that finger prints should be taken; whether the magistrate directed the remand of a prisoner on that date for the purpose of taking finger prints; and, if so, under what statutory authority?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have no information as to the case, but it is a common practice for prisoners to be remanded, and to have their finger prints taken. The authority of the magistrate to remand is derived from the power under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts, and the authority of the prison officers to take finger prints is derived from the Regulations of the 20th June, 1896, made under Section 8 of the Penal Servitude Act, 1891.
Captain BENNDoes the right hon. Gentleman adhere to his statement to me that the authority to take finger prints only comes into force after the conviction of the prisoner?
§ Mr. SHORTTI do not think I said that.