§ Major ASTORasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state approximately the number of German civilian prisoners employed on economic work in this country; the nature of the work on which they are engaged; the rates of pay; and whether they are paid at piece or time rates'?
Mr. SAMUELApart from camp fatigue duties and work as clerks, hospital orderlies, camp labourers, etc., prisoners in the camps under Home Office control are engaged on many kinds of work, including the following: Tailoring, boot-making, joinery and plumbing, tool-making, brush-making, pipe-making, watch-making, catering and baking, vegetable gardening, quarrying and road-making, land reclaiming, and farming. The numbers engaged vary from time to time, but there are still large numbers for whom it has not been possible to provide agricultural or industrial employment. Payment is at piece or time rates, as may be found best according to the nature of the employment, and the rates of pay vary similarly.