§ 19. Mr. Collinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will abolish the censorship of prisoners' letters to Members of Parliament.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerNo, Sir. I have looked again at the statement made to the House by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Shields (Mr. Ede) when he was Home Secretary, and at the reports of subsequent discussions of this question in the House, and I find no grounds for differing from the conlusions reached by my predecessors in office.
§ Mr. CollinsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, as in other matters, references to pre-1951 happenings are not always welcomed on this side of the House? Does not he think that this practice is a reflection on the integrity and judgment of Members of Parliament? Is he aware that many enlightened prison governors would welcome the abolition of this practice?
§ Mr. ButlerI dare say, and if they would I hope they will communicate with me. The difficulty is that questions of prison discipline should be dealt with by the authorities on the spot. I do not think M.P.s can help with that. There are certain matters, to which the right hon. Member for South Shields (Mr. Ede) referred on 29th July, 1949, which are not suitable for letters of this sort. I do not see any reason to depart from his judgment, because I think that it would be unwise for such things to be included in letters. Otherwise, prisoners can, of course, write to Members of Parliament.