Q&A WRITTEN REPLIES

CROWDED PRISONS: More than 1,600 prisoners in Scotland are living two to a cell and more than 100 three to a cell, in rooms designed for one person, the junior Scottish Office minister, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, disclosed last night. Figures from the Scottish Prison Service showed that, as of last Wednesday, 1,640 male and 18 female prisoners were sleeping two to a cell and 96 male and six female prisoners were sleeping in threes.

WAR CRIMINALS: People convicted of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia could be housed in British jails, it was disclosed. Only one person is being tried in The Hague by the war crimes tribunal established by the United Nations, but more hearings are expected.

Douglas Hogg, the Foreign Office Minister of State, said last night: "We are currently considering the tribunal's request to offer prison space to those convicted by the tribunal."