§ 106. Mr. Deedesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the circumstances in which five youths escaped from the detention centre at Goudhurst, Kent, on 15th July, in view of the fact that this centre has been officially described as escape-proof; and what fresh precautions are being taken against future outbreaks.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeNo penal establishment is escape-proof; Blantyre House at Goudhurst gives a reasonable measure of security but is not comparable in that respect with a walled cellular prison. I am satisfied that the warden and his staff 153W are alive to the need for constant supervision and proper security, but his attention has been called to one or two weaknesses in supervision and administration which facilitated this escape.