§ LORD TENTERDEN rose to ask His Majesty's Government to what extent they are utilising prison labour for the purposes of the war, having regard to the work which could be done by prisoners in making requisite materials and to the extent to which prisoners could be expected to apply themselves for such patriotic purposes far more readily than to ordinary prison work.
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, I have placed this Question on the Paper for the purpose of ascertaining whether prison labour is being or could be utilised in any way for war purposes. I find from statistics that I have brought up to date as much as possible that in England and Wales there were from March, 1913, to March, 1914, 135,000 prisoners, and the idea has occurred to me that in these times, when men are being called to the Colours in ever increasing numbers and when a great strain is being placed upon the labour market in obtaining men and women for the manufacture of munitions, the labour of prisoners might be put to seine use for the purposes of the war. If asked to what use prison labour could be put, I would suggest that probably the best course would be to ask each prisoner to do such work as he would in ordinary circumstances be performing, and I presume that a prisoner's particular trade or vocation in normal times would be indicated on the charge sheet. As a class prisoners are not necessarily unpatriotic; on the contrary, I believe they would exert themselves very much better in carrying out work which they knew would benefit their country in this war than in performing tasks to which they might be set 1036 in normal times in the regular routine work of the prison. I am in ignorance as to what His Majesty's Government may have done in this matter, or whether or not it has already received their close attention; but I beg to submit the question either for their consideration or for their further consideration, in the hope that prison labour may be utilised in some degree to help the country in the great struggle in which it is now engaged.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, in the absence of my noble friend Lord Curzon I hope I may be allowed to answer the noble Lord's Question. Every available prisoner was placed on war work immediately war was declared, and special arrangements have been made to facilitate the output of war stores. Up to the 9th instant over three million articles of war stores have been made and issued. The demand for prison labour is so great that orders are being booked for execution a year hence. The work covers more than twenty distinct trades. Most of the prisoners are serving short sentences; hence the work of instruction is continuous and exacting. Since the war began the population of the civil prisons in England and Wales has fallen by nearly one-third. I am sure the House will be glad to hear that the Commissioners cannot speak too highly of the devotion of the officers and of the enthusiasm of the prisoners in connection with the preparation of war stores.