HC Deb 12 November 1940 vol 365 c1599W
Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the Home Secretary whether he will assure the House that no persons detained in prison on grounds of security are now being punished as if they were ordinary prisoners?

Mr. H. Morrison

The loss of liberty is, of course, a punishment in itself, but a distinction is made between the treatment of convicted and unconvicted prisoners, and the instructions with regard to persons detained on security grounds lay it down that as such persons are detained for custodial purposes only and not for any punitive purpose, the conditions of their confinement will be as little as possible oppressive, due regard being had to the necessity of ensuring safe custody and maintaining order and good behaviour.