Mr. T. WILSONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that, on account of the large amount of picket duty and the shortness of staff, the civil guards employed at Portland Prison are being compelled to perform nearly 11 hours' duty each day, and that on an appeal being made by the staff for some reduction in these hours of duty the governor cancelled certain privileges; and whether, in order to set a good example to employers of labour, he will take steps towards reducing these hours of labour?
§ Mr. BRACEThere are four pickets at Portland, which have to be furnished by the civil guard in turn. The average hours of duty of these pickets are 10 hours 45 minutes, but of this 6 hours and 39 minutes on an average are spent not on active duty, but only in reserve. One of the pickets has to sleep in the prison, and for this the governor was able to grant for a time a half-day off duty, but owing to the depiction of staff he was obliged to abandon this arrangement. The picket duty comes round about one day in five, and the sleeping-in once in 21 days. The ordinary hours of the civil guard, which have not been changed, are much shorter than those of the pickets.