HC Deb 19 June 1969 vol 785 cc683-4
28. Mr. Arthur Davidson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish the report of the inquiry into the allegations of brutality of prison staff at Parkhurst.

30 and 31. Mr. Woodnutt

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why he does not propose to take proceedings against prisoners at Parkhurst Prison who recently made allegations of brutality on the part of prison officers which inquiry failed to substantiate;

(2) if he will give an assurance that he will in future set up inquiries into the behaviour of prison officers only in cases where allegations have been made by prisoners through authorised channels.

Mr. Callaghan

I see no reason for departing from the normal practice not to publish the report of the inquiry by an officer of the Department. I consider that the incidents examined arose from the inherently difficult situation at Park-hurst Prison and the physical conditions there, and that it is not necessary to institute disciplinary proceedings against any prison officer or prisoner.

I must remain free to investigate allegations, even if they are not made through authorised channels, where I think this is necessary in the public interest or that of the prison service.

Mr. Davidson

As these prison officers have been cleared of very damaging allegations and as no charges have been made against any of the prisoners who gave evidence, who were warned that if they gave evidence they could be subject to disciplinary action, does my right hon. Friend not think that it is in the interests both of the prisoners and of the prison officers that this report should be published so that the public can properly evaluate the evidence?

Mr. Callaghan

No, I do not think that that is the right way of handling it. This was an inquiry made by one of my officers. The report was made to me, and I considered the matter very carefully. I must ask the House to leave me some discretion, because my responsibility is the total welfare and well being of that prison and all who are there—both prisoners and prison officers. In all the circumstances, I believe that the best way of achieving a high standard of morale and good relations between the two is not to prefer charges and not to publicise the report.

Mr. Woodnutt

Does the Home Secretary agree that the worst way of trying to maintain morale is by setting up inquiries when complaints have not been made through the authorised channels? Does he not consider that it creates bad will among prison officers, as it has, just to act on a report in a Sunday newspaper based on a letter which has been smuggled out of prison?

Mr. Callaghan

I should, naturally, prefer all allegations to be made through the proper channels. But it is the job of a Minister to decide whether to ignore them because they are made through improper channels or to investigate them in the best interests of all concerned. This matter must be left to my judgment. It would have been regarded as pretty irresponsible if I totally ignored 120 signatures because they had not gone through the normal channels.