§ 46. Brigadier-General NATIONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the circumstances in which Frank King, lately a prison officer at Hull Prison, was recently dismissed from the service; and whether, in view of the fact that he had served over 18 years in the prison service and 12½ years previously in the Army, he will consider the grant of a superannuation allowance or a certificate of conduct over the period named so as to assist this man to find employment in civil life?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)The officer in question was dismissed last August for disobeying one of the Statutory Rules made under the Prison Act, 1898. which provides that an officer shall not correspond with or hold any intercourse with persons who have been discharged from prison or with their relatives unless for some good purpose communicated to the Governor and expressly authorised by him. Under the Superannuation Acts there is no power to make any grant to an officer who is dismissed. Official testimonials are not given to officers on leaving the prison service, but the Prison Commissioners are always prepared to answer questions from intending employers.