HC Deb 08 March 1951 vol 485 cc637-8
16. Mr. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were undergoing prison sentences on 1st February, 1950, as compared with 1st February, 1938; and how many of them on each date were living two or more in a cell.

Mr. Ede

The total number of prisoners held in prison in England and Wales on 7th February, 1950, which is the nearest convenient date, was 16,465. This figure includes untried and civil prisoners. The corresponding figure for 7th February, 1938, was 9,066. No cell has ever been occupied by two prisoners but on 7th February, 1950, there were 1,968 prisoners accommodated three in a cell: in 1938 it was not necessary that cells should be occupied by more than one prisoner.

Mr. Gammans

Do the Government realise all the alarming implications of this deterioration in our moral standards? Can the right hon. Gentleman hold out any hope that within the present capital expenditure budget it will be possible in the near future to erect new prisons or otherwise remedy this alarming state of affairs of three in a cell?

Mr. Ede

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Government are as much concerned as are all well meaning people in the country at the deterioration of standards which these figures portray. I regret that it is not possible, under the present capital programme, to contemplate the erection of new prisons, but wherever possible, buildings are adapted in order to try to lessen the overcrowding which I have mentioned.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the deterioration in moral standards may not be quite so great as appears on the surface and that some part of the difference in the prison population may be accounted for by the different social standards now prevailing as to what is socially meritorious and what is socially reprehensible?

Mr. Ede

While I admit that standards change, I should not like to say anything which minimised the very serious position that these figures portray.

Mr. David Renton

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the 16,000 prisoners rank as unemployed or fully employed?

Mr. Ede

Some of them are fully employed and some of them are partially employed. I doubt if any of them are really unoccupied.

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