§ Mr. A. H. SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that on 3rd August the Governor of His Majesty's prison at Strangeways, Manchester, refused to allow representatives of the Press to attend an inquest on the body of a man who had 630W that day been hanged in the prison; and whether he will give instructions that in future representatives of the Press shall be allowed to attend inquests held into the death of persons upon whom sentence of death has been carried out?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe exclusion of the representatives of the Press on the occasion referred to was the result of a misunderstanding of a message sent to the Governor whilst he was giving evidence. The Governor much regrets the mistake. The question of what persons should be admitted to inquests held in such circumstances as the present is a matter for the coroner, and all governors have standing instructions to admit to the prison representatives of the Press who are duly approved by the coroner, for the purpose of reporting the proceedings of inquests.