§ MR. ROBERT WALLACE (Edinburgh, E.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, in view of the fact that the average labour of prison warders in Edinburgh amounts to 59½ hours per week, which is considerably in excess of the time worked by the majority of Government servants, whether there is any objection to placing prison warders on the same level, as regards working hours, with other Government servants?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Sir CHARLES PEARSON,) Edinburgh and St. Andrew's UniversitiesI apprehend there is considerable variety in the number of hours worked by Government servants, depending on the nature of the duties performed. I am not aware that 780 the hours of duty of Edinburgh prison warders compare unfavourably with those of similar officers in other prisons, and they do not exceed what was thought reasonable by the Departmental Committee which reported in 1892. The Secretary for Scotland does not at present see any reason for an increase of the staff beyond what has already followed on the Report of that Committee.