§ Sir A. WILSONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that insane persons who have committed no offence are incarcerated in the prisons of Kenya, Tanganyika, and Nigeria; and whether, in view of the inhumanity of this practice and the suffering it causes, both to the insane persons and to the other prisoners, he will take steps to end it?
Mr. M. MacDONALDIn the Tanganyika Territory a suspected lunatic may be detained in a prison for purposes of medical observation for a period not exceeding 30 days. In Kenya certain prisons are scheduled as lunatic asylums. Every effort is made to ensure the complete segregation of the lunatic from the criminal population of the prison. Expenditure has recently been authorised to provide for enlarging the accommodation at the mental hospital at Mathari. In Nigeria, lunatics for whom there is not room in the two existing asylums are detained in the prisons. They are kept apart from the criminal and wear special clothing. The undesirability of associating lunatics with prisoners is fully recognised, but the many demands on Government's resources have hitherto impeded the provision of further asylums. I am, however, looking into the matter.