Mr. MACLEANasked the Home Secretary on what principle ho deals with the cases of prisoners who lose time by giving notice of appeal; whether a prisoner who gives notice of appeal is at once placed in what is practically solitary confinement, namely, 23 hours a day in his cell; whether ho is expected to do the same task there as if he were in association; whether he is deprived of the benefits of fresh books from the library; and on what grounds he insisted on Mr. C. Diamond serving extra the six days which were lost because of his notice of appeal?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe position of prisoners who appeal under the Criminal Appeal Act, 1907, is regulated by Section 14, which provides that the time during which an appellant in custody is awaiting the determination of his appeal shall not count as part of his term of imprisonment unless the Court of Criminal Appeal gives special directions to the contrary. During this time the prisoner is kept separate from convicted prisoners and is given special privileges in the way of visits and letters. He is given employment similar to that of 615W other prisoners, but in order that he may have all facilities for conducting his appeal he is not tasked. He has the same treatment as other prisoners in the matter of books.