§ 41. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prisoners in Durham prison came from all parts of England; whether those alleged to have made erroneous statements during the recent inquiry will not suffer penalties in consequence; if similar inquiries are to take place in respect of any other prison; and what action he intends to take to make the residual complaint, admitted to be true, impossible of recurrence in all prisons.
§ Mr. BrookePrisoners in Durham Prison may come from all parts of England. I am aware of no grounds for action against any prisoner alleged to have made erroneous statements during162W the recent inquiry. No other inquiry similar to that at Durham is proposed. In the one instance where the Visiting Committee was left with the suspicion that an offence had been committed by two prison officers, there was a conflict of evidence. All prison officers are made well aware that the use of excessive force is not permitted, and I do not consider that any further action is necessary to remind them of that.