§ 58. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reform the system of interviewing prisoners eligible for corrective training and take steps to safeguard against defamation third parties who may be mentioned in reports published in court.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI am glad to be able to inform the hon. Member that as a result of my consideration of the problem which he raised in previous Questions I have caused a circular to be sent to clerks of the peace suggesting that the terms of reports submitted to courts of quarter sessions by the Prison Commissioners on prisoners eligible for Borstal training, corrective training or preventive detention should not usually be made public unless it becomes necessary to do so because the defence wishes to challenge the report or for other reasons ask for it to be read out. The Lord Chief Justice, whom I have consulted, has been good enough to say that he agrees with this suggestion. This solution of the problem will safeguard the interests of the defence and of third parties without putting any difficulties in the way of the court receiving the fullest information about the prisoner and his circumstances.