John Stonehouse – 1975 Parliamentary Question on Brixton Prison

The parliamentary question asked by John Stonehouse, the then Labour MP for Walsall North, in the House of Commons on 11 November 1975.

Mr. Stonehouse asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a schedule of deaths of prisoners in the 12 months to 31st October 1975 in Brixton Prison identifying prisoners by age only and specifying the cause of death in each case.

Dr. Summerskill Five prisoners at Her Majesty’s Prison Brixton died in the 12 months to 31st October 1975. The particulars of four are given below. The fifth death occurred on 28th October last and an inquest has not yet been held.

CAUSES OF DEATH, AND AGES OF DEATH OF PRISONERS WHO DIED AT HM PRISON BRIXTON, 1ST NOVEMBER 1974—31ST OCTOBER 1975

Age | Cause

23 | Natural causes—acute pneumonia and myocarditis.
27 | Natural causes—status epilepticus.
39 | Suicide—hanging.
51 | Suicide—acute narcotic poisoning.

Mr. Stonehouse asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has caused any internal inquiry into any death of a prisoner at Brixton Prison during the 12 months to 31st October 1975; and with what result.

Dr. Summerskill No; all five deaths which have occurred in this period were however reported to the coroner.

Mr. Stonehouse asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign subjects were held in Brixton Prison on 1st September and 1st October, respectively; and for what alleged offences.

Dr. Summerskill I regret that only an estimate of the number of foreign subjects held in Brixton prison is available. On 1st September and 1st October about 300 prisoners of foreign nationality were held there, of whom about 230 also held British citizenship. More detailed information, and information about alleged offences, could be obtained only by extensive inquiry and at disproportionate cost.