§ Mr. Litherlandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether members of the board of visitors of Strangeways prison, Manchester, exercise their right to speak to prisoners out of the hearing of a member of the prison staff.
§ Mr. BrittanIt is a matter for individual members of boards of visitors to decide when to exercise the right, conferred on them by rule 96(2) of the Prison Rules 1964, to interview prisoners out of the sight and hearing of officers. I understand from the chairman of the board of visitors of Manchester prison that members of the board exercise this right whenever they consider it right to do so.