§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Home Secretary (1) whether, in view of the difficulty and expense experienced by prisoners committed for trial by magisterial courts in Kent in connection with the preparation of their defence by their legal representatives because such prisoners while on remand are kept in London prisons, he will arrange that for the future they shall be remanded to the Kent county prison at Maidstone;
(2) whether, in view of the importance that the representatives of the Kent branch of the Prisoners Aid Society who visit prisoners while serving their sentences should subsequently remain in touch with them, he will consider the desirability of arranging that short-term Kentish prisoners shall serve their sentences at the Kent county prison, Maid-stone, instead of at London prisons as at present?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe considerations to which the hon. Member refers were fully reviewed when the present arrangements in regard to Maidstone Prison were made. They would be applicable to many other local prisons, but in this matter it is necessary to have regard to wider considerations of policy, and I regret that I cannot hold out any hope that it will be possible to arrange for the classes of Kent prisoners referred to to be located in Maidstone Prison.