§ 31. Mr. Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to deal with the unrest and continued disturbances at Wandsworth Prison.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerAn investigation of the most recent incidents has been begun, and when this inquiry has been completed I will consider what further steps should be taken.
§ Mr. FletcherWill the Home Secretary bear in mind that Mr. Cronin, Secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, has said that at Wandsworth things are going from bad to worse and that there is need for more discipline to counter the understaffing and overcrowding there? Will he say what steps he is taking to deal with both the overcrowding and the understaffing?
§ Mr. ButlerI am aware of Mr. Cronin's statements, some of which I found to be accurate, but not all. I sympathise with the position of the staff at Wandsworth, but no connection has been established between shortage of staff and the recent incidents. The staff were able to cope with this without calling in extra duty men. As this, however, is a serious position, and as the present prison population is no less than 1,599 men, the results of this inquiry are, of course, very important. If I could await the results of the inquiry, I would then be able to say further and, perhaps, get in touch with the hon. Gentleman—or he might wish to pursue it in other ways.
§ Mr. LiptonIs it not the fact that the primary cause of the trouble at Wands-worth is the very serious overcrowding? Is it not a fact that out of the 1,500 men now there, no less than 627 have to sleep three in a cell, which is positive proof of 476 the unsatisfactory degree of overcrowding that prevails?
§ Mr. ButlerThere is no doubt about the overcrowding in Wandsworth, and the hon. Gentleman's figures are correct.