§ 41 and 42. Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he is aware that the site for a new prison to replace Duke Street Prison was acquired in March, 1937, but that as the building has not yet been begun several years must elapse before it is completed; and whether, in view of the undesirability of retaining Duke Street Prison for this length of time, he will immediately make other arrangements for the prisoners and demolish Duke Street Prison;
(2)whether he is aware that in 1937 the average daily number of male and female prisoners in Duke Street Prison was eight and 76 respectively; and, in view of the fact that there is accommodation in Perth Prison for 330 male and 167 female prisoners whereas the average daily number of prisoners was 53 and six, respectively, why the prisoners from Duke Street Prison are not immediately transferred to Perth and the Duke Street Prison demolished?
§ Mr. ColvilleI have carefully considered the suggestion that, pending the erection of a new prison, the female prisoners detained in Duke Street Prison should be accommodated elsewhere. I regret, however, that this is not practicable. Apart from other considerations, the unoccupied accommodation at Perth Prison, to which the hon. Member refers, consists mainly of out-of-date cells, which are not habitable and of rooms for hospital and other purposes.
§ Mr. KirkwoodDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think it is time he was removing this blot from the landscape in Glasgow? Is he aware that I have put this question for 10 years to every Secretary of State for Scotland, that the first reply was that there was no land, that then they got the land, that then the 160 exhibition came along and they could not get the tradesmen to do the job, and that now they have got the land and the exhibition is away, and still they are not doing anything, but that they have agreed to it?
§ Mr. ColvilleI answered the hon. Member rather more fully on 20th December last about the reason why, at present, we were postponing building.