§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of convicted prisoners in England, with their names and the prison where they are serving their sentence, who are individually receiving similar special privileges to those which were recently announced for some prisoners in Belfast Prison.
§ Mr. CarlislePrivileges similar to those mentioned in the reply given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 6th July are available to 16 prisoners in the special security wings at Leicester and Parkhurst prisons. If my hon. Friend324W wishes to have further particulars about any of these men perhaps he would write to me about them.—[Vol. 840, c. 741.]
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the special privileges which are granted to some convicted prisoners, the reasons for the granting of such special privileges, and the sentence the privileged prisoners are serving.
§ Mr. CarlisleI assume that my hon. Friend has in mind prisoners in the special security wings at Leicester and Parkhurst prison. The additional privileges which they may be allowed at the discretion of the Governor are; to supplement prison rations from the canteen to a greater extent than other prisoners; to cook for themselves; to wear some articles of their own clothing on suitable occasions; to have more than the normal physical recreation; to have showers and baths at any reasonable time; to write and receive an unrestricted number of letters to and from approved correspondents provided they pay the postage on any letters they write in excess of one a week; to have fortnightly visits of longer than normal duration; and to have battery-operated record players. These privileges are allowed in order to mitigate the conditions inseparable from the containment of a few prisoners over long periods in maximum security in a small area of the prison. Their sentences range from 10 years to life.