asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the possibility of combining a reduction in the length of prison sentences with the application of a more strenuous regime during those reduced sentences.

I have already said that I welcome the moves towards shorter sentences recommended by the Advisory Council on the Penal System in its recent report. If pressure on the prison population were sufficiently eased, the way would be open to provide a fuller and more active regime for prisoners. I do not know how the hon. Member would wish to make the prison regime more strenuous.