§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, men and women, respectively, were found to be suffering from tuberculosis during 1944; how many of these served sentences of more than one month; and how many of them were, during their sentences, unable to associate at work with any other prisoner because of their disease.
§ Sir D. SomervellSpecial statistics of these cases have not been compiled, and an examination of all the medical records for the purpose of extracting the figures could not be undertaken by the present depleted staff; but much attention has been given of recent years to prisoners suffering from tuberculosis. X-ray examinations are made in doubtful cases, and the prison medical officers receive valuable help from the local tuberculosis officers. Care is taken to keep tubercular prisoners whose condition is infectious apart from others. At prisons where there are several such prisoners, special1090W working parties are arranged. Where possible they are employed on light gardening work.
§ Commander Locker-Lampsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men, women and children are in prison at the moment; how many have been imprisoned more than once; and the greatest number of times any one man or woman has been imprisoned.
§ Sir D. SomervellOn 29th May there were in prisons in England and Wales 12,537 persons, of whom 11,241 were males and 1,296 females. In addition to convicted prisoners, these figures include debtors, prisoners on remand, persons awaiting trial, and young prisoners awaiting removal to Borstal Institutions, Approved Schools, etc. A child under 14 cannot be committed to prison unless its detention in prison is directed under Section 53 (2) of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, on conviction of attempt to murder or a similar offence, and it is believed that there is no case of a child so detained at present. The latest available information concerning the previous imprisonment of convicted prisoners relates to the year 1943 and is as follows:
Males. Females. Total numbers received on conviction 26,181 5,290 Number known to have previous sentences of Imprisonment or Penal Servitude 10,875 1,755 Number with over 20 such previous sentences 526 324