§ 17. Mr. Alpassasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the concern occasioned by the recent escapes of convicts from Tortworth Court, he will see that the necessary steps are taken to prevent a recurrence and thus relieve the anxiety of the residents of this district.
§ Mr. EdeI appreciate that such escapes may cause concern and anxiety among local residents. Some risk of escape is inevitable where prisoners either live or are employed under open conditions, but considerable experience of these methods before and during the war has shown that the number of escapes is so inconsiderable that it is justifiable to accept this risk, in view of the great value of these methods in the training and rehabilitation of prisoners. Steps are being taken to review the security arrangements at this prison, which has only recently been established, and I hope that when it has settled into its regular routine, escapes will be infrequent.