Dr. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take, in view of the recent escapes from maximum security prisons, to increase security; and whether he proposes now to build new prisons of this sort in remote parts of the country.
§ Sir F. SoskiceSpecial security wings at Durham and Leicester Prisons are ready, and one at Parkhurst will be ready in the rear future. A working party in the Home Office is studying and analysing recent escapes and attempts to escape, and the experience of the U.S.A. and European countries, to see what improvements are practicable in our own security arrangements. In particular, the results of this study will be incorporated in the design of the special security block at Albany in the Isle of Wight.
Other special measures have been taken, the details of which it would be against the interests of security to disclose.
It is not at present proposed to build new prisons in remote parts of the country.