§ 35. Mr. LANGasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that for the three years 1925, 1926 and 1927, inclusive, no less than 18,465 persons who were subsequently acquitted were held in custody awaiting trial; and will he inquire into the question of increased facilities for bail as well as the conditions of treatment of persons detained on remand?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe numbers quoted, averaging about 6,000 annually, include persons remanded at police courts as well as persons committed for trial. The annual figure of about 6,000 is not made up of persons who were all acquitted; it includes all who were not returned to prison on the same charge with a sentence of five days or more, that is to say, it includes great numbers who were adjudged guilty and dealt with under the Probation of Offenders Act, or fined, or sentenced to four days' detention or less. I am glad to say that the number of persons committed to prison or trial in 1927 was only about 40 per cent. of what it was in 1905, and that the proportion bailed nearly doubled. Figures for remands on bail are not available. The general question of the treatment of unconvicted prisoners is both important and difficult. I propose to give it attention.
§ Mr. KNIGHTWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to represent to justices that under a recent Statute they are required to provide bail in all reason able cases?
§ Mr. LANGHas my right hon. Friend satisfied himself that there is no hardship entailed upon poor persons in the matter of bail—persons who cannot afford solicitors to appear for them—and has he considered the further question that people who can afford it can, when committed to prison, go in private taxicabs, while other people go in prison vans?
§ Mr. CLYNESI doubt whether we can ever obtain complete equality in these matters, because of differences in wealth and position. Neither of the two points in the supplementary question is included in the original question, and I should like to have notice of them.
§ Mr. HAYCOCKCan the right hon. Gentleman arrange to hurry up trials, and is he aware that innocent people have been kept under penal conditions for weeks and months?