§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he is aware that by the new working hours for the staff of the criminal lunatic asylum at Perth the officers are confined, on alternate weeks, to the precincts of the prison till after 8 p.m.; and will the new system of hours permit of the inmates having an extra hour's recreation without any increase being made in the numbers of the staff;
(2) whether he is aware that the working hours of prison officers in the criminal lunatic department at Perth have been revised, and now for each division, on alternate weeks, extend from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., including meal times, and that officers for the week-end do 20 hours and 15 minutes actual duty, 10 hours and 15 minutes of which is Sunday duty; whether any time off duty, other than a day on the extended week, is accorded the staff for recreation; and whether, in view of the protests of the staff, it is proposed to make the times more convenient and the meal hours more regular?
§ Sir G. COLLINSThe hours of duty of warders in the Criminal Lunatic Department are 96 a fortnight, comprising a short and a long working week alternately. In the long working week the week-end duty amounts to about 21 hours676W (including about 11 hours on Sunday), and one day off duty is allowed. In the short week the warders are off duty on Saturday afternoon, Sunday, and one other day. This arrangement, which in the long week involves attendance until 8 p.m. took effect last month and provides an extra hour of evening recreation for the inmates. One warder has been added to the establishment. Since the change came into force no representations have been made by the staff; but if any representations are made they will be carefully considered.