§ 17. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will direct that the Churchill rule (1910) concerning political prisoners be made operative?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Simon)The rule to which, I think, the hon. Member refers still forms part of the Code of Rules for the Government of Prisons, but I must point out that it contains no reference to "political prisoners" and indeed the law does not recognise any such class of prisoners.
§ Mr. GALLACHERIs not the Secretary of State aware that this failure to 536 recognise political prisoners is based on a fiction, and is he not prepared to consider removing this fiction and applying the Churchill rule to political prisoners?
§ Sir J. SIMONWe could not deal with the matter by using such a question-begging phrase.
§ Mr. STEPHENWill not the right hon. Gentleman consider introducing a rule for dealing with political prisoners?
§ 18. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Home Secretary whether he will discontinue the practice of compelling young prison officers to witness the flogging of prisoners?
§ Sir J. SIMONIf this question implies that any officers are required to attend except those whose presence is necessary for the due carrying out of the punishment, there is no truth in the suggestion.
§ Mr. BENSONDoes not the Home Secretary think it desirable that this country should be brought into line with every other civilised country, and abolish flogging?
§ Mr. GALLACHERIs not the Secretary of State aware that a definite statement has been made to this effect by one who has had the experience of seeing young officers witnessing flogging?
§ Sir J. SIMONThen I hope that the definite statement I have made with will be duly asked the Home Secretary the number of convicts in His Majesty's prisons who have been at one time inmates of Borstal institutions?
§ Sir J. SIMONI could not give particulars for the present date without obtaining a special return, but a return obtained last February showed that there were then in prison under sentence 688 men who at some previous date had been in a Borstal institution. The total number of men who have passed through the Borstal institutions is over 13,000.