§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many applications are outstanding before the European Commission of Human Rights concerning prisoners' communications; how many of them deal with matters arising after December 1981; what further changes in the prison rules are proposed in respect of prisoners' communications, and how it is proposed to dispose of those applications referring to matters arising before December 1981 which have been declared admissible.
438WA
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)We are informed by the commission that 15 applications relating wholly or partly to the control of prisoners' correspondence in the United Kingdom are outstanding before it, the majority of which have stood adjourned pending the outcome of the case ofSilver and others before the European Court of Human Rights. None concerns events after December 1981. No changes in the prison rules relating to prisoners' communications are planned for the immediate future. The Government have made proposals which are now under discussion with the commission for the disposal of the outstanding cases.