§ 5. Mr. Pagetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a general directive that warders present at interviews between prisoners on remand and their relations and legal advisers are there solely for prison security reasons, and that anything which a prisoner may say, that does not affect prison security, should be treated as strictly confidential.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerInterviews between prisoners and their legal advisers about legal proceedings, civil or criminal, to which the prisoner is a party, are not conducted in the hearing of an officer. At other interviews the supervising officer is not concerned solely with the maintenance of prison security, and on occasion it may be his duty to report information about other matters to his superiors— though to no one else.
§ Mr. PagetHas it not always been the practice that when a wife goes to see her husband in gaol and he is on remand the warder who is present reports any conversation with regard to an escape but that evidence of what has been said by the husband to his wife is never given at the subsequent trial? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the recent trial of Raymond Jones this evidence was in fact given? Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that if this happens in future solicitors will have to advise their clients that there is great danger in seeing anybody—whether it be husband or wife—in gaol because of the consequences which may arise out of their conversation?
§ Mr. ButlerI have investigated the case to which the hon. and learned Member refers. He has written to me, and I shall write to him about it. A statement was taken by the police from the prison officer on that occasion, but the prison officer did not give evidence. However, 1275 I should like an opportunity of reviewing the whole situation, because it is one which needs further review. I will then write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.