§ 49. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the remuneration now paid to prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will take steps to increase the amount which will be put to the prisoner's credit, in order to give him a start in rehabilitating himself after he has completed his sentence.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeIn their first eight weeks all prisoners may earn 10d. per week. Thereafter, flat-rate workers earn an average of 2s. 6d. with a maximum of 4s. Piece-rate workers have no maximum but average about 2s. 9d. Preventive detention prisoners in central prisons earn a 50 per cent. bonus on these rates. These rates are at present under review, but any proposal to increase them by such an amount as would be necessary to justify a scheme of compulsory saving would require long and careful consideration, having regard not only to the greatly increased cost of such a scheme but also to its effect on the present system of helping prisoners on discharge.