HC Deb 20 June 1963 vol 679 cc617-9
4. Mr. Fitch

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the type of work being undertaken by male and female prisoners in Her Majesty's Prisons.

Mr. Brooke

I would refer the hon. Member to the last Annual Report of the Prison Commissioners, published last week as Command Paper 2030, and in particular to pages 102 to 111, which give details of the types of work carried on, with the number employed on each.

Mr. Fitch

Would not the Home Secretary agree that the type of work undertaken by male prisoners is as important as the number of hours worked? Is he aware that in many of our local prisons work is undertaken of such a nature as could be done by disabled people outside—for example, painting toys? Surely the right hon. Gentleman agrees that work in prison should require more initiative and more physical energy and certainly a sense of purpose?

Mr. Brooke

I broadly agree with that. Certainly I agree with what the hon. Gentleman says about a sense of purpose, although the painting of toys is usually popular in prisons. We are dealing with various difficulties, including the difficulty of obtaining orders for the products of work in prison. But more specifically we are dealing with a lack of workshop space, which is very severe in some local prisons, and with a shortage of prison officers. I am doing everything I can to remedy these two deficiencies.

Mr. Fletcher

Will the Home Secretary bear in mind that the Report of the Prison Commissioners to which he has referred also indicates, on pages 18 and 51, various other obstacles which seem to have arisen? Can he assure the House that all possible steps are being taken to remove these obstacles? Will he confirm that probably the best way of giving reformative treatment to prisoners is to ensure that they have adequate and useful opportunities of work while in prison?

Mr. Brooke

If our prison system is to work as I and, I think, the whole House would wish, it is absolutely essential that all prisoners capable of work should do a good working week. For the reasons which I have mentioned, that is not possible, but I will render it possible as quickly as I possibly can.

Mr. Thorpe

Will the right hon. Gentleman look at the practice in certain American prisons, particularly the Federal prisons, where prisoners are doing very useful work for what are known as tax-aided agencies by making furniture, making uniforms for the Army, mending trunks, and so on, which is of great benefit to the taxpayer? Will the right hon. Gentleman see whether this could be done in this country so that prisoners are given work which is not only useful to them but of great benefit to the nation?

Mr. Brooke

I assure the hon. Gentleman that a good deal of work is done for Government Departments which require the goods.

19. Mr. Fitch

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will revise the rates of pay for work done by prisoners in Her Majesty's Prisons in order that they can earn sufficient money to pay their National Insurance contributions.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Miss Mervyn Pike)

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's replies of 7th February and 4th April last to the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg).

Mr. Fitch

Will the hon. Lady say whether she has any plans for supplying prisoners, when they are discharged, with a fully stamped insurance card?

Miss Pike

We are looking into this problem the whole time. I think that the House would be well advised to await the Report of the Advisory Committee on After-Care to see what recommendations it makes.