§ Mr. Alton asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. John Hasse, a prisoner at Her Majesty's prison, Strangeways, has been placed in category A and segregated from other prisoners; and if he will make a statement of his health following a hunger strike over the past three weeks.
§ Mr. Mayhew:Mr. Hasse has been placed in category A on remand because of the nature and circumstances of the offences with which he has been charged. His location within the prison is determined by the needs of security but an unavoidable result is that he cannot associate freely with other remand prisoners.
Mr. Hasse started to refuse food on 26 September. He resumed eating on 3 October and continued to eat normally until 15 October. He has been refusing food since that date, but is taking a small amount of liquid. His condition is not giving cause for alarm at present and will continue to be closely monitored by the senior medical officer at Manchester.