HC Deb 01 December 1977 vol 940 cc318-9W
Miss Maynard

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted for terrorist offences have been assaulted, received injuries requiring medical attention, and been subject to solitary confinement pursuant to Rule 43 in each of the years 1968 to 1976; if he will provide the figures for Northern Ireland separately from the rest of the United Kingdom; and, in the case of Rule 43, how many requested to be put on Rule 43 and how many were put on Rule 43 for their own protection.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I am responsible for prisons only in England and Wales. I regret that this information is not available. There is no separate offence of terrorism in our criminal law, and the information requested could not be supplied with respect to any substantial class of prisoner except at disproportionate expense.

Miss Maynard

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the powers contained in Rule 33(3) of the Prison Rules 1964 extend to the perusal by Home Office servants of correspondence by and to a prisoner contemplating or engaged in litigation with the Home Office or any of its servants;

(2) if Rule 33(3) of the Prison Rules 1964 applies to the perusal by Home Office officials of correspondence by and to a prisoner contemplating or engaged in litigation with the Home Office or any of its servants.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Yes, except in so far as Rule 33(3) is qualified by Rule 37A(1) in regard to the reading and stopping of correspondence between a prisoner who is a party to legal proceedings and his legal adviser.

Miss Maynard

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the purpose of stipulating that a prisoner, before being allowed facilities to consult a solicitor, must in the case of proposed civil proceedings against the Home Office or its servants give the full facts of his case to the Home Office or its servants.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The purpose of the requirement that a complaint concerning the administration of Prison Department establishments must be ventilated through the normal existing channels before the complainant is allowed facilities to seek legal advice about taking civil proceedings is to give management an opportunity to provide a remedy.

MAXIMUM LIMITS OF RENT ALLOWANCE FOR FEDERATED RANKS
Force Former £ Present £ Date of last review
Avon and Somerset 532 975 1st April 1977
Bedfordshire 675 780 1st April 1976
Cambridgeshire 570 761 1st April 1976
Cheshire 802 989 1st May 1977
Cleveland 706 900 9th November 1976
Cumbria 508 643 1st April 1977
Derbyshire 571 646 1st October 1977
Devon and Cornwall 648 831 1st April 1976
Dorset 582 660 1st April 1976
Durham 484 718 1st April 1976
Dyfed Powys 578 652 1st April 1976
Essex 596 661 1st April 1975
Gloucestershire 718 879 1st April 1976
Greater Manchester 731 858 1st April 1976
Gwent 557 662 1st December 1975
Hampshire 780 925 1st October 1976
Hertfordshire 743 895 1st April 1976
Humberside 521 672 1st April 1976
Kent 924 1,161 1st April 1977
Lancashire 722 821 1st April 1976
Leicestershire 675 773 1st April 1977
Lincolnshire 536 663 1st July 1976
Merseyside 673 817 1st April 1976
Norfolk 623 825 1st August 1976
Northamptonshire 593 733 1st April 1976
Northumbria 601 734 1st April 1976
North Wales 593 638 1st April 1976
North Yorkshire 550 694 1st April 1976
Nottinghamshire 496 643 1st April 1976
South Wales 738 848 1st April 1977
South Yorkshire 583 691 1st April 1976
Staffordshire 517 757 1st April 1976
Suffolk 581 773 1st April 1976
Surrey 723 1,036 1st July 1976
Sussex 610 895 1st April 1977
Thames Valley 824 940 1st October 1976
Warwickshire 713 854 1st April 1977
West Mercia 756 991 1st April 1977
West Midlands 709 839 1st April 1976
West Yorkshire 600 703 1st April 1976
Wiltshire 591 764 1st June 1976
Metropolitan and City of London Police 987 1,177 1st April 1977