§ 61 and 63. Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the Home Secretary (1) whether he is aware that temporary warders are employed in prisons under the control of his Department; how many are so employed and what is the scale of wages; in view of the increased cost of food, will he consider the need for an increase; and (2) whether he has yet consulted with the Treasury as to the need for increased pay to prison warders in view of the increased cost of food; whether he has received a petition for an increase of pay from the prison officers; and what he proposes to do to meet this necessity?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have received petitions from the warders in the Prison Service for an increase of pay in view of the special circumstances now existing, and am in communication with the Treasury on the subject. With regard to officers temporarily employed in the Prison Service, there are seventy-eight men engaged in local prisons to perform simple night patrol duty at wages of 28s. a week. In addition a number of temporary officers are occasionally employed at daily rates varying, according to locality, from 3s. 4d. to 4s. 3d. a day. The number employed varies from day to day according to the needs of the various prisons. The case of these men cannot be considered apart from that of all others in similar circumstances.