§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make publicly available the Gale Report into the causes of the Parkhurst Prison riot in 1972.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe disturbances at Parkhurst Prison to which my hon. Friend refers took place in October 1969. Earlier in that year Mr. M. S. Gale, an officer of the Home Office, carried out an inquiry into allegations that had been made of ill-treament of prisoners at Parkhurst Prison. The then Home Secretary made a statement about the results of this inquiry on 6th June 1969 and subsequently made it clear to the House that, having considered the matter very carefully, he did not intend to publish the report itself. I fully agree with his view of the matter.