§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is still the practice during air-raids to lock up prisoners and detainees under Regulation 18B who thus run the risk of being unable to escape if the prison should be hit; and whether he will consider removing such prisoners from danger areas to safer parts of the country.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe suggestion that preferential treatment should be given to persons in prison custody including 18B detainees by removing them to safer areas is impracticable. Prison buildings of cellular construction provide a high degree of protection from blast, and experience has shown that to leave cell doors open is not generally speaking a desirable course and may indeed lead to additional risks.