§ Mr. Terry DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions are placed on the letters which can be received by people who have been remanded in custody to await sentence.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe receipt of letters is regulated by prison rule 34 and standing order 5B copies of which are available in the Library. The following is a summary of the main provisions concerning convicted prisoners awaiting sentence. One letter may be received on the prisoner's reception into prison and thereafter two a week, though governors have discretion to allow more. If a correspondent makes a practice of sending an excessive number of letters, the governor may return them. Correspondents who make a practice of sending overlong396W letters may be asked to confine future letters to four sides of paper and, if they ignore the request, the governor may return subsequent overlong letters. There is no restriction on the frequency or length of letters from a legal adviser in connection with legal proceedings to which a prisoner is a party. Letters may be stopped if they contain material which is prohibited for example, for security reasons.