§ 18. Commander Courtneyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the necessity for maintaining strict discipline, he is prepared to consider the appointment of suitable service officers on the Retired List as wardens or deputy-wardens of detention centres.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeNo, Sir. The kind of discipline required can best be maintained by members of the Prison Service.
§ Commander CourtneyWould not my hon. and learned Friend agree, from his own experience, perhaps, that a little Service experience would be a welcome reinforcement to the efforts of these civilian officers, in relation to the very difficult problem which has to be solved?
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeI do not think that anybody criticises the state of strict discipline already existing in detention centres. Since there is no shortage of excellent candidates from within the Prison Service for these important posts, I do not think that we need go wider, at least at present.
§ 19. Commander Courtneyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the effect upon the strict regime, which he aims at in detention centres, of requiring the disciplinary staff as well as the inmates to wear uniform.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have decided that disciplinary staff at senior detention centres shall wear uniform. This will be introduced as soon as possible.