§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether 321 the Commissioners of Prisons have made known to the clerks serving in Her Majesty's prisons the Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into their complaints?
MR. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W.)also asked whether the Departmental Committee have recommended that the prison clerks, having paid an examination fee of £3 under the Order in Council of 12th Marth, 1879, shall be placed upon the scale of pay carrying the maximum provided by that Order in Council?
§ *MR. MATTHEWSI will answer this question and that of the hon. Member for St. Pancras at the same time. As soon as a decision has been arrived at upon the Report of the Departmental Committee, that decision will be made known to the clerks. The matter has been delayed because complicated and difficult questions arise in connection with any alteration of the status of this particular class of prison officials; but, I hope, with the concurrence of the Treasury, to arrive at a satisfactory solution. The Committee have not made any recommendation to the effect stated by the hon. Member for St. Pancras.