§ 13. Mr. J. Silvermanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will instruct Her Majesty's Prison Commissioners to take steps to ensure that goods produced and services provided by prison labour should be offered at fair prices and should not unfairly undercut goods produced and services provided by disabled workers' trading organisations.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe Prison Commissioners have begun a review of this question in consultation with the Ministry of Labour.
§ Mr. SilvermanI am very grateful to the Minister for his reply, but is he aware that there is very profound dissatisfaction, especially among blind people's organisations, about the present situation? This is especially true in Birmingham, where the shoe-repairing department of a blind men's organisation has lost a considerable order, which might conceivably have prevented the closing down of the department. Will he, therefore, energetically pursue the investigation?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is because we were in some anxiety about points such as those to which the hon. Gentleman refers that we authorised this review of the question, and I shall hope to give the results in due course.