§ 17. Mr. Gallacherasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that Durham is the nearest point to which a Scottish prisoner can be transferred from a penal settlement in the south of England to a penal settlement nearer home for the purpose of receiving a visit from his relatives; and will he consider making arrangements between the English and Scottish prison commissioners for the transfer of such prisoners to a Scottish prison for the purpose of such visits?
§ Sir S. HoareThe existing law makes provision for the transfer from England to Scotland and vice versa of persons sentenced to penal servitude and persons sentenced to detention in a Borstal Institution, but there is no statutory provision empowering the transfer from one jurisdiction to another of persons sentenced to imprisonment. I realise that in some cases hardship may result from the lack of power to transfer freely from England to Scotland, and the point has been noted for legislation at the first convenient opportunity.
§ Mr. GallacherWould it not be possible to arrive at some method of bringing about this very desirable reform? At present, prisoners in the south of England cannot go beyond Durham, and their relatives, who may live in the north of Scotland, have to travel right down to Durham to see them?
§ Sir S. HoareI have said that the point will be dealt with at the first convenient opportunity.