§ 31. Mr. STRANGERasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that there are in prisons many inmates mentally and medically unfit confined in observation cells, but in charge only of the ordinary disciplinary officer; and whether, in future, he will arrange to have those men placed in charge of a medical prison orderly instead of a disciplinary officer?
Mr. DAVIESThe number of hospital officers at present available does not admit of this being done in every case, but the Prison Commissioners are making the best arrangements possible within the resources at their disposal, and those resources are being steadily improved.
§ Mr. STRANGERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in one of the London prisons at the present time there are 27 of these observation cases, in charge of a man who has to walk over 20 miles in the course of the night?