§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has received a petition praying for the release of Mrs. Hannah Smith from Broadmoor Asylum; whether he can state when he last received a medical report concerning the mental and physical condition of Mrs. Smith; whether that report is such as to warrant her removal from Broadmoor Asylum and her restoration to her friends; (2) if his attention has been called to the case of Hannah Smith, wife of Thomas Smith, who on 30th July, 1894, was convicted of the murder of her child at Thornton-in-Craven; that it was deposed at the trial that, in the opinion of the medical superintendent of the Wakefield Asylum, Mrs. Smith was suffering at the time of the murder from homicidal frenzy as the result of puerperal insanity, and that Mr. Justice Grantham remarked that everyone must sympathise with the prisoner, and hope that after a time her mind would recover its balance, and that eventually she would be in such a state that she could return to her friends; and, seeing that Mrs. Smith is still confined in Broadmoor Asylum during His Majesty's pleasure, whether her case will now receive consideration?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have received an application in the case of Mrs. Hannah Smith, and I am fully aware of the circumstances which led to her being found insane and sent to Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum. The case has from time to time received careful consideration from my predecessors, but her condition has hitherto been such that she could not safely be162W discharged, and even the last annual report received—that for the year ended 30th April last—was unfavourable. Since then, however, there has been a noticeable improvement in her condition, and if this continues for a few months, and her friends are able to make provision for her being properly cared for at home, I hope to be able to consider favourably an application for her conditional discharge.