§ Captain BOURNEasked the Minister of health whether he is aware that a Departmental Committee on Prisons in 181)5 reported that oakum picking should be abolished except for penal offences; whether he will appoint another Departmental Committee to inquire and report whether oakum picking should be abolished for both men and women in casual wards; and will he arrange for placing on the committee representatives of the Ministry of Health, of the Home Office, and of the Prison Commissioners?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am aware of the Report of the Departmental Cornmittee on Prisons. I do not think that the appointment of a committee on this subject is necessary, but I am considering how far it is necessary or desirable to retain this particular task.
§ Captain BOURNEasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the task of oakum picking prescribed by the new Casual Poor (Relief) Order for a female destitute wayfarer, who remains for one night only, is to be not less than one-third of two pounds of unbeaten oakum or of four pounds of beaten oakum, while under the Order of 1882 it was half 2018 a pound of unbeaten or one pound of beaten oakum; and why the alloted task has been altered?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe alteration in the Order to which my hon. Friend alludes is made merely to bring the task for one night into the same relation to that prescribed for two nights, as is laid down in the Order of 1882, for the time to be occupied in the task, viz., three hours and nine hours respectively.
Captain BENNWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of exhibiting in the precincts a quantity of oakum which a casual female pauper is asked to pick?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not see that any advantage would be served by that. The hon. and gallant Gentleman can always make experiments.
Captain BENNDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise, putting aside the humorous aspect of the subject, that there is a great deal of interest in this reactionary circular, and would it not be desirable to make the exhibit for which I have asked?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question has been answered.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Navy oakum picking is given as a punishment, and the maximum allowed to be given to an able seaman as a punishment is 1 lb.?
§ Mr. MAXTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Prison Commissioners are steadily trying to get the punishment of oakum picking removed from prison, and to substitute something more sensible and humane?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINNo, the ground on which the Committee to which the hon. Member refers recommended the abolition of oakum picking in prisons was not that it was not humane, but that it was unproductive. I am, however, taking into consideration the point raised by the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy) that oakum picking has been used as a punishment in certain cases, and it is in relation to that fact that I am considering whether it is necessary or desirable to continue the task in casual wards.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWhen he is considering oakum, will the right hon. Gentleman also consider stone-pounding and stone-breaking operations?
§ Sir H. BRITTAINWas this oakum picking carried out under the recent Liberal and Labour Governments?