§ 78. Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that in almost all the Government Departments an eight-hour working day is recognised; and if he can see his way clear to extend the eight-hour principle to all the officers and prison warders in the various prisons?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe conditions of employment in the prison service are necessarily very different from those of most Government Departments. The hours of prison warders were reduced from ten hours to nine hours a day last April, and the hours cannot be further reduced without a dislocation of the service. The normal working day of most of the staff ends at 4.30 p.m.
§ Mr. W. THORNECould not the hours be reduced by one per day to bring them to eight?
§ Mr. McKENNAI should not like to commit myself to any definite statement.