§ 6. Mr. MATHERSasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officers in the prisons and institutions are employed as tradesmen or instructors without practical knowledge of the appropriate trades; and whether the Department endeavour in all cases to utilise the knowledge of officers who passed their apprenticeship and qualified themselves before entering the Scottish prison service?
§ Sir G. COLLINSAll officers employed as tradesmen or instructors have practical knowledge of the trade concerned, and are selected for this knowledge and for their ability to impart instruction. The knowledge of officers who have been apprenticed to a trade is utilised in all cases where this is of advantage to the Service.
§ 7. Mr. MATHERSasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether instead of receiving representations from the Scottish prisons in the form of petitions dealt with by the officials responsible for the conditions about which complaint is made, he will personally see a deputation from the staff representative board?
§ Sir G. COLLINSUnder the usual Civil Service practice, any petition by a member or members of the staff is forwarded to me through the head of the Department concerned, and I see no reason for departing from that practice. Any petition so forwarded by the Prison Officers Representative Board will receive my careful consideration.
§ Mr. MATHERSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that on occasion it would be well, in the interests of the Service, to break through this rigid rule and himself to hear direct the views of those concerned?
§ Sir G. COLLINSAs my hon. Friend knows, this is a disciplined Service, and I think that, unless very exceptional circumstances arise, the course I have indicated in my answer is the right one in the interests of all concerned.