§ Mr. GALLACHERasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a letter from his wife was refused to William Crookes, serving a term of six weeks imprisonment at His Majesty's Prison, Armley, Leeds, on the grounds that it was too long, although no exception was taken to its contents; and what authority is vested in prison governors to determine the length of letters that prisoners may receive provided that in other respects they comply with the regulations?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe Prison Authorities are anxious that there shall be reasonable facilities for prisoners to receive communications from their relatives, but a letter to or from a convicted prisoner must be read by the Governor or by a responsible officer deputed by him for the purpose. The Prison Rules give discretion to the Governor to stop any letter on the ground that it is of inordinate length. I am informed that the letter referred to was one of eighteen pages, that the wife lived in Leeds and visited the prisoner the next day and that the prisoner had already been allowed facilities for writing to and receiving letters2076W from his wife in excess of those normally allowed by the Rules.
§ Mr. KIRBYasked the Home Secretary how many Reports have been made against prison officers by the deputy governor at Liverpool prison since his appointment to that prison; and whether the Reports were for serious or petty offences?
§ Sir J. SIMONIt is the duty of every Prison Officer to bring to notice any irregularity by Officers under their charge, but of course responsibility as regards any particular case may be shared by two or more Officers. To attempt to indicate by statistical methods the manner in which this responsibility is exercised would be misleading and would serve no public purpose.