§ 15. Mr. McENTEEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in the negotiations for the sale of Pentonville Prison as a housing site the difficulty has been that the price demanded has been equivalent to reinstatement figures; and whether, in view of the great need of housing in that part of the Metropolis, the matter will be reconsidered?
§ Mr. HACKINGThe possibility of disposing of the Pentonville Prison site for housing purposes has never reached the stage of formal negotiations involving questions of price. As my right hon. Friend explained in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne) on 26th April, the outstanding difficulty is to find other accommodation for the prisoners now sent to Pentonville, and no satisfactory alternative has yet been found.