HC Deb 27 May 1937 vol 324 cc408-10
15. Colonel Nathan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests have been made during the past three years to the Prison Commissioners by governors and chief officers of prisons for more staff, and with what result?

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir John Simon)

Constant attention is paid to the staffing of the different prisons. In addition to a general review each autumn when statements are submitted by governors showing their estimated staff requirements for the following year, there are frequent consultations between governors and the Prison Commissioners as to staff arrangements to meet changing conditions or temporary needs. There has been an increase of staff during each of the last three years.

16. Colonel Nathan

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Prison Officers' Representative Board has made repeated representations to his Department for an improvement in the pay scales of £2 10s. to £3 10s. per week of the subordinate officers; what has been the result; and whether, as it takes the majority of the officers from 12 to 17 years to reach the maximum rate and as these scales are approximately £1 per week lower than those of policemen, he will, having regard to the need of attracting a good class of men to the prison service, take steps to remove the grievance amongst the officers?

Sir J. Simon

In 1936 an improved scale of pay for prison officers was settled in consultation with the Prison Officers' Representative Board. Under the new scale officers start at £210s. a week and rise by annual increments to £3 10s., and receive in addition free quarters, or an allowance in lieu, and certain other emoluments. One of the advantages of the new scale is that in future the time taken to reach the maximum will be much shorter than under the old scale, and there is no foundation for the suggestion that the new scale is insufficient to attract suitable candidates to the service. Since the acceptance by the staff of the new scale, such representations as have been made by the Representative Board have been not against the scale, but against the method of its application to existing officers. As, however, I have stated in reply to previous questions, this method is that usually followed in the Civil Service, and was fully explained to the staff before the new scale was accepted by them.