§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why a letter to a noble Lord from a prisoner in D Wing, Wormwood Scrubs, submitted for posting at about 0800 on 10th November, and referring to matters already raised in a petition, was stopped, contrary to the provisions of prison Standing Order 5; whether they will take steps to prevent delays or obstruction of prisoners' correspondence arising from similar causes: and why all letters from this prisoner to the noble Lord are referred to an assistant governor, contrary to the assurance given in Lord Elton's letter of 19th May 1982.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)As was explained in the letter of 19th May to which the noble Lord refers, letters by Category A prisoners, of whom this prisoner is one, are examined by the prison censors and referred to an assistant governor if the censors consider that they contravene standing orders. The censors were not clear whether the prisoner's letter of 10th November contravened standing orders, and submitted the letter to an assistant governor. He decided that the letter could be posted and that was done on 12th November. Every effort is made to prevent delays in the handling of prisoners' correspondence.
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