§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why 149W the letter from Prisoner No. 130086 written on 9th July to his Member of Parliament was not posted on Monday 11th but on 14th July; and whether he will see that such unnecessary delay does not occur with regard to prisoners' mail generally and mail to their Members of Parliament in particular.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe delay stemmed from uncertainty whether the complaint about prison administration contained in the letter had been raised and considered through the normal internal procedure, as is required before such a complaint is made to a Member. I regret that the necessary check against records should have taken as long as it did, but am satisfied that this was abnormal. Prison governors are well aware of the need to deal expeditiously with prisoners' mail.