§ MR. WILLIAM JONES (Carnarvon, Arfon)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the numbers of civilians and retired military officers respectively who have been appointed governors or deputy governors of English and Welsh prisons since 1880; and whether these military men have been appointed to the only vacancies in such appointments which have occurred since the Departmental Committee recognised the utility of promoting experienced members of the prisons staff to such posts?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYSix civilians and 14 retired military or naval officers have been so appointed since 1880. Of the six vacancies that have occurred since the Committee reported in April 1895, three have been filled by retired officers, three by civilians, two of whom were already in the prison service. I am not aware that the Departmental Committee made any definite recommendation on the point, as the hon. Member seems to suggest. The opinion which they expressed was that military and naval training, though undoubtedly developing capacities for organisation and the maintenance of discipline, was not by any means essential to the qualifications of a prison governor. To this view I am quite prepared to give effect.