HC Deb 14 October 1943 vol 392 cc1033-5
25. Mr. William Brown

asked the Home Secretary why his instructions that women officers at Holloway prison were to be granted two hours weekly for shopping purposes have not been obeyed, whereas his instructions to increase the hours of these officers by 12 each fortnight has been carried out?

Mr. H. Morrison

In connection with the arrangement made in April last that prison officers should work six hours overtime per week so as to enable prisoners to be out of their cells for an extra hour, it was agreed that women officers should be allowed two hours off duty each week for shopping purposes. There was a short delay in introducing this concession at Holloway while consideration was being given to representations from the staff about the way in which it should be applied, but it became effective in the middle of May and has continued since then except for one week when owing to exceptionally heavy calls on the staff it was impracticable to allow time off for shopping.

27. Mr. Brown

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the shortage of women officers in the prison service which is causing essential services in respect of prisoners to be overlooked; that four assaults have taken place upon officers at Holloway prison recently and that discipline is deteriorating by reason of this shortage of staff; and whether he will approach the Departments concerned with a view to releasing volunteers from the women's Forces for employment in the prisons, consider releasing the existing staff from the abnormal number of hours they are now working, and give instructions that the essential services to prisoners are to have a prior claim to the output of women's prisons?

Mr. Morrison

Yes, Sir. For some time great difficulty has been experienced in filling vacancies on the staffs of women's prisons, and the shortage at Holloway Prison in particular is now acute. I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service as to the best method of overcoming this difficulty. But I cannot accept the suggestion that in general essential services to prisoners are overlooked. At Holloway Prison officers have been assaulted on three occasions this year, but any suggestion that the prisoners are out of hand would be misleading. Nor can I accept the suggestion in the last part of the Question that the productive employment of prisoners is not an essential service. Shortage of staff has made it necessary to shorten the hours of associated work at Holloway, but this is an undesirable expedient which I should be unwilling to extend and hope to discontinue as soon as possible.

Mr. Brown

When does the right hon. Gentleman consider that his discussions with his right hon. Friend will produce a result which will ease the situation in Holloway?

Mr. Morrison

It is difficult, I admit, but my hon. Friend may be assured that I will do all I can, and I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour will be as helpful as he is able to be.

Mr. Rhys Davies

But is not part of the problem due to overcrowding of the prisons, because magistrates are now sending persons to gaol for offences that were never punishable before?

Mr. Morrison

That Question had better be put down. My impression is that that is not so.

Commander Locker-Lampson

Could not convicts of military age be sent overseas and thus release some of the persons who are now looking after them?