§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners have had a request to use a personal typewriter turned down in the last year;
(2) how many prisoners currently have a personal typewriter;
(3) how many prisoners have been allowed to have a personal typewriter in the last year;
(4) which of the criteria constituting an exceptional case were not met by the prisoner at Wormwood Scrubs Prison who was refused a personal typewriter;
(5) if he will explain what criteria are used in allowing prisoners a personal typewriter in an "exceptional case";
(6) if he will list the criteria that are employed in determining whether an exceptional case exists for a prisoner to have a personal typewriter.
§ Mr. JohnPrisoners are allowed to use typewriters for the purposes described in my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 5th May.—[Vol. 910,c. 984–5.] Exceptional cases are considered on their merits in the light of individual circumstances. The application by the prisoner at Wormwood Scrubs was refused because it did not appear to comply with the stated purposes or to justify exceptional treatment; the case is being reviewed. I regret that the information 436W asked for in the remaining Questions is not readily available, but inquiries indicate that few prisoners have personal typewriters or have applied to have one.