§ 32. Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present prison population; how many are employed on productive work; what are the occupations followed; the numbers engaged in each case; and the hours per week spent thereon.
§ Mr. EdeThe prison population, including persons detained in Borstal, on 9th March was 19,440. Exact figures as to the employment of prisoners at the present time could not be obtained without undue labour, but on 31st March, 1947, when the prison population was just over 16,000, some 10,500 were engaged in productive work. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the occupations followed, and the numbers engaged. The number of hours spent in such work in Borstal institutions is 42 a week and in prisons varies from about 20 to 37 a week.
§ Mr. LipsonIs the Home Secretary satisfied that as many as can be usefully employed are so employed? If not, will he take steps to see that proper employment is found for as many of the prisoners as possible?
§ Mr. EdeNo, I am not satisfied that all the people who could be more usefully employed are so employed, but that is largely due to the shortage of staff. If I could get more staff of a character suitable for supervision of this kind, I am quite certain that a substantial addition to this form of employment could be made.
§ Following are the details:
§ The occupations followed and the numbers engaged on 31st March, 1947, were as follow:
| — | Prisons. | Borstals. |
| Manufactures. | ||
| Bakers | 62 | 19 |
| Basketmakers | 99 | — |
| Bedmakers | 84 | 15 |
| Bookbinders | 71 | — |
| Brush and mop makers | 54 | 60 |
| Carpenters | 165 | 139 |
| Glovemakers | 1 | — |
| Knitters and repairs | 122 | 20 |
| Labourers | 87 | 27 |
| Mailbag makers and repairs | 4,307 | — |
| Matmakers | 291 | 5 |
| Moulders | 15 | 1 |
| Needleworkers and dressmakers and repairs | 358 | 22 |
| Netmakers | 3 | — |
| Pickers and sorters | 481 | 146 |
| Printers | 26 | — |
| Sackmakers and sailmakers | 69 | 10 |
| Shoemakers and repairs | 176 | 61 |
| Smiths and Fitters and Tinsmiths | 44 | 94 |
| Tailors and Tailors Repairs | 401 | 46 |
| Twine and Rope-makers | 44 | — |
| Washers | 47 | — |
| Weavers | 131 | — |
| Woodchoppers | 105 | 144 |
| Assemblers | 15 | — |
| Bandage Strippers | 6 | — |
| Tagmakers | 18 | — |
| Employed by War Agriculture Committees | 520 | 180 |
| Employed by Timber Control | 200 | 8 |
| Employed by Private firms | 39 | 27 |
| Farms. | ||
| Attending cattle; cropping; reclaiming land | 186 | 434 |
| Building. | ||
| Bricklayers and Masons | 109 | 59 |
| Carpenters and Joiners | 58 | 28 |
| Concrete Moulders | — | 9 |
| Electricians | 3 | 6 |
| Labourers | 469 | 234 |
| Painters and Glaziers | 160 | 69 |
| Plasterers | 8 | 5 |
| Plumbers | 40 | 15 |
| Quarrymen | 4 | — |
| Slaters | 6 | — |
| Smiths and Fitters | 70 | 13 |
| Stone Cutters | 2 | — |
| White washers | 52 | 1 |