§ 54. Mr. Beswickasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to the appeal for parole, details of which have been supplied by the hon. Member for Uxbridge, made on behalf of a prisoner in Pentonville to enable the prisoner to attend the funeral of his father; by whom was the consideration given; and why and by whom was the appeal rejected.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeAt the time this case arose, governors were not authorised to grant parole for attendance at funerals. This application for parole was made in the first instance to the governor, who did not feel that he could properly recommend it and accordingly did not seek authority to grant it. When the hon. Member intervened, the Prison Commissioners at my request reviewed the application and upheld the governor's view that this was not a suitable case for parole, since the prisoner was not thought to fulfil the exacting standards required in such cases.
§ Mr. BeswickThe Home Secretary is now saying that this case was considered by the Prison Commissioners. At 10.30 on the morning of the actual funeral the prison governor had had no communication at all from the Prison Commissioners, and the application had been for release at 11 o'clock that morning. Can the Home Secretary say why the Commissioners did not discuss the matter at all with the prison governor?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeAs the hon. Member knows, it was not until about 29th June that this special direction was given. Had that been in operation at the time it would not have affected this case, because this prisoner was quite unsuitable for parole.