§ 27. Mr. Maxtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can make any statement regarding the remission of sentences imposed on the persons concerned in the Dartmoor prison mutiny?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir Samuel Hoare)In accordance with the undertaking given by ray predecessor in November of last year, I have considered this matter very carefully and have been in consultation with the learned Judge by whom the sentences were passed. As a result I have come to the conclusion that a substantial mitigation of these sentences can now be recommended without detriment to the interests of justice, and I have decided to advise that one-quarter of the sentence be remitted in each case.
§ Mr. MaxtonIs that in addition to the normal remissions that would be involved for good conduct?
§ Sir S. HoareYes, Sir. It will be in addition to the remission for good conduct that they would earn upon their sentences.
§ Mr. MaxtonWill it be both on the original sentence and the additional sentence for their part in the mutiny? Will they earn the ordinary remission and the quarter as well?
§ Sir S. HoareThey will earn the ordinary remission upon their diminished sentences, in addition to the ordinary remission on the original sentences.
§ Mr. Benjamin SmithWill that portion of the sentence that would have been remitted had they not been charged, and which, I presume, was lost when they were charged and convicted, be added to the remission?
§ Sir S. HoareI would like to have notice of that question.
§ Mr. ShinwellI understand that 25 per cent. of the additional sentence is to be remitted. 1s 25 per cent. of the original sentence to be remitted?
§ Sir S. HoareNo, Sir. Let me reply by giving a concrete case. A man with a four-years' sentence would now have a three-years' sentence, one-quarter being remitted. He would receive in addition to that a remission for good conduct upon the three-years' sentence.
§ Mr. ShinwellIf a man had been sentenced to 10 years originally and was also sentenced to another four years for participation in the mutiny, would he have a 25 per cent. remission on the combined sentence?
§ Sir S. HoareNo, Sir. The remissions with which I am dealing in this answer are special reductions of the additional sentences which they received for the mutiny.