MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, in view of the work performed by the Roman Catholic chaplains to the Scotch prisons, whether he will consider the advisability of equalising their salaries with the salaries payable in England; and whether any representations or applications have been made to the Scotch Office on the subject.
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. A. GRAHAM MURRAY,) ButeshireSince the administration of prisons in Scotland was taken over by the Prison Commissioners in 1877 the provision made for Roman Catholic visiting clergymen has been largely increased. In that year provision was only made for one such visiting clergyman, at a salary of £70, and in 1885, when the Scottish Office was established, the number had only increased to three, with salaries aggregating £200, whereas, on the Estimates for the current year, there is provision for ten such clergymen, with allowances amounting to £560. The Secretary for Scotland from time to time considers the salaries of the prison staff, having regard to the merits of each case and the amount of work done, but their salaries cannot be simply regulated by the salaries fixed in England, as such an adjustment has never in practice been admitted by the Treasury. I may add that no representation has, within recent years, been received at the Scottish Office on the subject, and the Secretary for Scotland is not aware of any dissatisfaction existing at the present moment in regard to the matter.