Mr. David Adamsasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that officers at Dartmoor and Parkhurst prisons who have applied for transfer elsewhere, supporting their applications with medical certificates relating either to their own condition or that of their wives, have had their applications refused; and whether he will give instructions that such applications should be sympathetically considered and, wherever possible, complied with?
§ Sir J. AndersonSo far as I am aware, there is only one case coming within the terms of the Question, that of an officer transferred from London to Dartmoor Prison who has applied for transfer from Dartmoor on the grounds of his wife's health. The transfer of this officer, like that of many other prison officers, was rendered necessary owing to the redistribution of the prison population at the outbreak of war. The Prison Commissioners fully appreciate that such transfers must often cause inconvenience to the officers concerned and to their wives and families; they are always ready to give sympathetic consideration to any case where it is represented that transfer has involved special hardship, and the application of this particular officer has, in fact, been carefully and Sympathetically considered on more than one occasion. The commissioners are not satisfied, however, that there are sufficient grounds in this case to justify them in according exceptional treatment to this officer as compared with other officers who have been transferred.