§ 21. Mr. FREEMANasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the 2246 desirability of providing facilities for circulation to prisoners in this country of a publication on the lines of the weekly news bulletin entitled Lumière, edited, printed, and published by prisoners in prison in Belgium?
§ Mr. CLYNESFrom the copy of this journal which my hon. Friend has kindly sent me, I see that this Belgian prison journal comes out, not once a week, but once a month. The desirability of keeping prisoners informed of current news is recognised, and in all English prisons the governor or chaplain gives once a week a short address summarising the principal events of public interest during the past week. In addition, under the system of stage privileges many prisoners see newspapers.
§ Mr. BENSONHas the right hon. Gentleman ever listened to one of these resumés? If so, he will know that they are quite unsatisfactory.
§ Mr. CLYNESI can understand people welcoming weekly opportunities of knowing what some people are doing.
§ Captain CAZALETCan the right hon. Gentleman say who decides what literature is to be allowed to the various classes of prisoners? Is it the governor of the prison or the Home Secretary? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the time has come when the whole question of the literature, daily and permanent, that is allowed in prisons should be reconsidered?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe governor usually determines what literature may be supplied, but there have been occasions when appeals have been placed before the Home Secretary.
Viscountess ASTORIf there was a daily paper that did not publish the history of crimes, would that be allowed?