HL Deb 12 April 1961 vol 230 cc257-8
THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any statement to make about the situation in Wands-worth Prison.]

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, on Friday, April 7, after two prisoners had been taken to the separate cells for assaulting officers there was some tension in the prison. On four occasions on Saturday and Monday groups of prisoners refused to return to their cells from exercise, or refused to work. These incidents passed off quietly without violence, and apart from some sporadic shouting and throwing of articles from cell windows on Monday night, and a little shouting on Tuesday night, the prison has been quiet since. Some 200 prisoners have been punished for failure to obey an order. An inquiry into this series of incidents has been begun, and when this has been completed any necessary steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of concerted indiscipline.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Earl the Minister. While expressing great confidence in the Governor, whom I know quite well, may I take it that the noble Earl the Minister would agree that this prison, in particular, is shockingly overcrowded? Could he tell us, for example, how many prisoners it is intended to hold, how many it does hold, and how many sleep three in a cell?

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, I must thank the noble Earl for having given me notice of his supplementary question. I thoroughly agree with him that this prison is very—almost shockingly—overcrowded. Yesterday there were 1,599 men in the prison, of whom 627 were sleeping three in a cell.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

I am much obliged to the noble Earl.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the position at Pentonville is precisely the same: that more than 500 men are sleeping three to a cell, in a prison built to accommodate 800, and that last week there were over 1,200 men there? That is really the cause of these troubles.

EARL BATHURST

My Lords, I believe that the answer to the last series of questions amply makes clear how much my right honourable friend appreciates these conditions.