§ 36. Mr. Mathersasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there are any regulations against prison officers being represented on the National Whitley Council; if so, what are the regulations; and whether he is aware that a majority of the officers refuse to attend any meetings in connection with the representative board?
§ Mr. ElliotI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question by him on 16th February to the effect that prison officers, as members of a disciplined service, are not within the scope of the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service. Prison officers are collectively represented by a representative board, the constitution of which provides that
the organisation shall be entirely within the prison service and shall be entirely independent of, and unconnected with, any outside body.As regards the last part of the question, my information is, as stated in my reply of the 16th February, that a full and active board is in being.