asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that numbers of prisoners are sleeping three in a cell in the Leicester prison; and what precautions are being taken against infectious diseases breaking out there, particularly, in view of the inadequate ventilation of the cells.

Owing to the very great increase in the prison population, it is not possible at the present time to avoid some cases of prisoners having to sleep three in a cell. Every prisoner is medically examined on admission. Apart from this it has not been found necessary to take any special medical precautions. The ventilation of the cells at Leicester prison is not inadequate.

Could my right hon. Friend stage the size of the cells in which these people are being incarcerated?

If my hon. Friend will put down a Question I will see that he has an answer.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether steps are taken to isolate tubercular prisoners?

The medical staff of the prison would certainly look after that.

Are precautions taken to disinfect the prison cells when they become vacant?

I think my hon. Friend should put that question down.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why no working parties are now going out from the Leicester Prison to local farms.

While the prison authorities are anxious to resume the employment of prisoners on local farms as soon as possible, I regret that no officers are at present available at this prison to supervise them.

Would it not be a relief to the officers themselves if large parties were taken out to farms and were enabled to carry on with this work? Is it not a fact that hitherto these men have behaved in a very orderly manner and have done their job very well?

I am exceedingly anxious that as much of this and other useful work as possible shall be done by prisoners. I regret that at the moment shortage of staff does not enable me to provide sufficient supervision for these working parties which, as my hon. Friend says, have been very well behaved, taken as a whole.