HC Deb 06 May 1954 vol 527 cc559-60
23 Mr. Yates

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why relatives are not permitted to visit the graves of prisoners who have been executed and buried in prison.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I think it would be inappropriate to give facilities for this purpose.

Mr. Yates

I asked the Minister if he would say why this should not be done. Does he not realise the tremendous anxiety a mother feels if she cannot visit the grave of her son? Why perpetuate this most un-Christian attitude?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I appreciate what is in the mind of the hon. Member, but it is rare for any such request to be received and, secondly, anything which might produce undesirable demonstrations, or might pander to a morbid type of publicity, is to be deprecated.

Mr. Lewis

Can the Minister explain why, in the case of the Spandau prisoners, who were convicted for mass murders, Her Majesty's Government requested the Russian Government, who have acquiesced—an announcement was made only last week—that the relatives of these, prisoners should be allowed facilities which are denied to the relatives of individual murderers in this country? Surely there should be equity of treatment.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I tried to explain that this Question deals with graves of prisoners who have been executed. The prisoners at Spandau have not been sentenced to execution, but have been sentenced to imprisonment and might die in prison. The question of discussions between Her Majesty's Government and another Government and the state of those discussions is, I suggest, a matter for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Mr. T. Williams

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider whether it would be advisable to send the bodies of all prisoners who have been executed to a crematorium?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

That is a matter which I should like to consider before giving an answer.