Mrs. Butlerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no action was taken in relation to a letter addressed to him on 16th August, 1963, by the Prison Reform Council asking for an independent inquiry into the handling of cases by Detective-Sergeant Challenor.
§ Mr. BrookeI assume that the hon. Member refers to a letter dated 16th August, 1963, from Mr. Trevor Hatton, who did not mention the Prison Reform Council but asked for an inquiry into cases with which Detective Sergeant Challenor was concerned. Action on this request was overtaken by the decision, which was publicly announced, to refer a number of these cases to a senior police officer for investigation. My Department has expressed to Mr. Hatton its regret that he was not personally informed of that decision.