§ 29. Mr. Collinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to announce his proposals for reducing overcrowding in local prisons by reducing the time spent in stage I by preventive detainees.
§ Mr. RentonMy right hon. Friend has decided to transfer from local prisons to Parkhurst as many prisoners in the first stage of preventive detention as can be accommodated there, but he does not propose to reduce the time they will spend in first stage.
§ Mr. CollinsBut does the hon. and learned Gentleman realise that many of these detainees are sweltering three to a cell whereas at Parkhurst there are 138 empty cells and there are empty cells at other prisons? Is the difficulty that he cannot get the Commissioners to change, and if that is so, will he suggest to his right hon. Friend that he should change the Commissioners and get something done?
§ Mr. RentonI am afraid that the hon. Member has mistaken the position. Men are being transferred from local prisons to Parkhurst, as I said in my original Answer.
§ Mr. WoodburnIs not it a mistake to treat all prisoners as if they were dangerous to the community? There are all types of prisoners. Could not those who are in prison for civil offences be put on farms and given work to do and not be kept in cells, thus unnecessarily burdening the security arrangements?
§ Mr. RentonThat raises a quite different question.