§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warders are at present employed in the prisons of England and Wales as Acting Governors and Acting Matrons respectively; and how many temporary warders are employed in those prisons instead of regular warders? I beg also to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has considered the Petition of the prison warders, drawing attention to excessive hours of duty, and other grievances; and whether he is prepared to introduce some amelioration of their conditions of service?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am informed by the Prison Commissioners that there are 12 chief warders in charge of prisons in England and Wales, and 32 female warders who have charge of the female Department in those prisons. The number of temporary warders necessarily varies from day to day according to the requirements of the Service. A Departmental Committee is now sitting for the purpose of investigating fully the grievances of these officers, and I await their Report before coming to any decision.