§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no reply has been received by Ashford, Sparkes and Harward, solicitors in Tiverton, acting for Roy Percy Steptiford, to their letter, dated 30 April to his Department's Prison Department; and why neither reply nor acknowledgement has been received to the follow-up letter, dated 10 June, asking why no reply had been received to the earlier letter; and what action he proposes to take in this matter, and when.
§ Mr. MellorInquiries into the matter raised by Messrs Ashford, Sparkes and Harward in their letter of 30 April186W 1986 took longer than foreseen, but a full reply has now been sent. We regret the failure to acknowledge the solicitors' letters in this case and will examine carefully the implications for our procedures for handling such correspondence.