§ MR. T. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that since 1882 schoolmasters in the local prisons have been taken from the ranks of the warders, and that, though engaged since then as school teachers, these men are still subject to the usual warders' hours of duty, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., instead of from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m., the hours usually served by teachers and clerks: and, whether he will give instructions to have their hours regulated more strictly in accordance with their duties?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI am fully aware of the position of the schoolmaster warders to whom the hon. Member refers. The question of their hours of duty was among those into which inquiry was made by Lord de Ramsey's Committee in 1891, who reported to the Secretary of State, that the "evidence did not support the demand for alteration in the terms of service." In view, however, of the nature of the duties which are, or may be, entrusted to them, the Prison Commissioners are now considering whether it would be possible to allow some slight modification of the hours of duty.