§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what legal authority he categorises prisoners and so subjects some to a harsher regime and a large number of restrictions than are applied to others.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe legal authority for the categorisation of prisoners derives from Rule 3(1) of the Prison Rules 1964 (SI 1964 No. 388).
The category in which a prisoner is placed indicates the level of security in which he needs to be accommodated. I do not accept that any prisoner is subjected to a harsh regime. All convicted prisoners are eligible for a wide range of privileges, whatever their security classification.