§ Mr. Liddallasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will set up a small Departmental Committee to travel round the commands at home and to submit early recommendations for a drastic revision of the present Army penal system to include the financial aspect, the formation of specially located and staffed penal units and the segregation of hardened offenders in detention barracks, with a view to allowing those detained for the less serious offences to undergo intensive training for battle out of doors instead of being incarcerated in cells alongside the more criminal type?
§ Sir J. GriggAs was stated in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Basset-law (Mr. Bellenger) on 10th March, a Departmental investigation into the whole system and conditions of detention has recently been completed. As a result of this several changes were put into operation including more advanced training for certain categories of soldiers under sentence, and the segregation of hardened offenders. Men detained, in all except two detention barracks reserved for sentences of military imprisonment and longer sentences of detention, are now to undergo field training out of doors. Steps are also being taken to enable men, by their good behaviour, to secure remission in part of debts which would otherwise accumulate on their accounts.
Special training units have been established for young soldiers who have difficulty in adapting themselves to Army life and are used, where possible, as an alternative to detention. These are not penal camps and soldiers at them lose no pay, and have the normal privileges such as leave, but are trained under the special supervision of selected officers.