§ 29. Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the known danger of even light corporal punishment to those suffering from enlargement of the spleen, he will make compulsory in malarious districts medical examination of all prisoners or detainees before the administration of corporal punishment.
§ Mr. ProfumoSo far as prisoners or detainees are concerned, none may receive corporal punishment for offences against discipline in any territory, whether malarious or otherwise, unless a medical examination has been made and the prisoner or detainee pronounced fit to receive this kind of punishment. If the hon. Gentleman has any particular case in mind, I will gladly make inquiries.
§ Mr. HastingsWhile thanking the Minister for this wise and humanitarian decision, may I ask him to watch the matter carefully, because in malarious districts a large number of the population are suffering from malaria, with enlarged spleens, and unless a careful examination is made, this may be overlooked and corporal punishment may have dire results?
§ Mr. ProfumoI appreciate the point which the hon. Member has made, and I would like to put his mind at rest by saying that I have been unable to find any case in the records of my Department of anyone suffering severe internal injury of the sort envisaged resulting from corporal punishment.